Author 



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Title 




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Irt- 17372-2 GPO 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



D0DD14t.Dfi57 



A TRUE SKETCH fl 

OF 

HIS ARMY LIFE 



BY 



S. C. BECK 



A TRUE SKETCH 

OF 

HIS ARMY LIFE 

BY 

S. C. BECK 



I volunteered at Otterville, Jersey county, Illinois on August 11, 
1862 being twenty vears and nine days old. having first secured my 
parents consent. At this date there was a recruiting officer in the neigh- 
borhood seeking recruits. Quite a number of the young men enlisted 
at this time. Soon the day arrived for us to go to Springfield, Ills. This 
meant verv much to us — to leave home and friends. The probabilities 
were some of us would never return, which time proved to be true. 
Most of us were young and thought we were able to make good soldiers, 
anyway we were willing to try. The first sixteen miles were made in 
wagons, when we reached the nearest railway station. In due time 
the train came along which took us to Springfield. 

Springfield was the largest city many of us had ever seen. Our 
first night at this place many slept but little, our beds being the floor of 
a hotel. In the course of a few days the nj^n who went to make up the 
one hundred men who composed our Company — Co. C. 124th Regiment 
of Ills, Volunteers, assembled in the city, and organized by electing officers 
to command said Company from their numbers. 

When we were fully organized with Company officers elected, being 
the third Company ready for "muster" of the ten who composed the 
124th Reg. were permitted to choose our letter, which we did, chosing 
"C." The first Company chose "A." Their position was always on right 
of Reg. The second Company chose "B." Their position was on the 
extreme left. Company "C" was the right center of the Reg. and was 
"Color Bearer." These three positions were selected or obtained by 
rioritv. The Flag of the Reg. in time of battle or anywhere was what the 
_ifr«i/) aligned them selves on, being the center. Now all Reg's, 
used the same letters but in different positions in their respective Reg's. 
But the right center Company always carried the Flag of the Reg. Com- 
pany "C" was made up of three squads of men from as many different 
neighborhoods and as far as possible each squad had their percent of 
officers. 

After a few days we were ordered to move to Camp Butler which 
was five miles distant. We had to march, and Oh- how tired we were 
when we reached this camp. We had no covering either day or night for 
several days. The examining officer came and examined us and those 



lie thought unfit for a soldier's duties were rejected. I think of my 
squad four were rejected. 

Th<> Government then issued to each man a blanket, suit of clothes, 
.shoes, knapsack, haversack and canteen: but no gun as it did not have 
them at this time. 

After several days there were barracks built that we might have 
shelter. We w^re eating government rations that we had to cook our- 
selves. We had very much to learn to be soldiers so we could go through 
all the military movements, that we could know what was wanted of us 
;)y word of command. We had to learn how to cook our rations, pack 
our knapsacks, to stand guard, to mount guard, Company drill. Regimen- 
tal drill, all of which we went through every day. 

The day came when we the 124th Reg. was mustered into the U. S. 
service. When will we get our guns? That we did not know; and 
wnen we would be sent South to meet the enemy nobody knew. We 
u.^-d sticks in our drills in place of guns. At this camp were perhaps 
t;:--en thousand soldiers all eager to meet the Southern fellows, not 
w iiliout guns however. As Reg's were armed th-ey were ordered to the 
front where needed the worst, to indulge the realities of war. After we 
had been at this camp four or five weeks our Reg. received marching 
orders to go to Cincinati, Ohio. By this time many of us would rather 
have eone home to our mothers, but we were sworn to Uncle Sam or 
during the war Many of the boys had wives or s^veethearts; but that 
rebellion had to be put down and we must help to do it. So we cheered 
up, took fresh courage to do the part assigned to us. 

A train of box cars on the Wabash railroad stopped at can^^p for 
UP and w^ were marched on to this train. Meantime there had been 
issued to every man a gun and accouterments. Before we reached 
I»*-<atur, received orders to go to Cairo, Ills. At Decatur we were tians- 
,*-rred on to the Illinois Central road and went on to Cairo. Our time 
nerf was short: long enough however to see some of their monstrous 
rats that were so plentiful along the wharf. They were surely twice 
as large as any I had ever seen. We wer^e glad to give them a wid^ j^ 
berth. Here we were ordered aboard a steamboat, for where we did***"^ 
know. Were soon ploughing down the great Mississippi river- Our 
destination proved to be Columbus, Kentucky. The rebels had posses- 
son of the Mississippi river below Columbus, Ky. As we were nearing 
The enemy our authorities issued us some amunition for our guns. We 
were soon trying them to see what we might expect of them when we met 
the enemy. Imagine our surprise when we found a majority of them 
would not burst a cap, and those that did were otherwise disabled. The 
one 1 had — when the hammer was set back to fire the gun I could not 
.--ee the top of the gun barrel. The men did raise a storm of protest 
vhen we found we were armed with a lot of condemn-ed guns. We were 
■" iig to fight but we wanted arms that would do execution. We 

:::ht we should not go any nearer the enemey with such guns, but were 

■ed to mount a train of cars. We had sworn to obey our superior 

• rs, what should we do? Finally our Colonel made us a speech say- 

- ve would have to obey orders and promised us that we should have 

-ood guns as soon as the Government could furnish them. It would 

.lave been suicide to have ordered us into battle with such guns. 

We went aboard the cars and were taken to Jackson, Tennessee. 
At this place our Reg., one thousand strong was marched some distance 

:r future oamp. A thousand men in "ranks" make somewhat of a 
How the 61th boys (another Ills. Reg. t did welcome us, as a 

■' "' '^^ '".rant's army was camped at this place at that time. 
^ County soldiers who enlisted in 1861 belonging to the 

_ i.try ] found here. We visited them and they came to 
our camp to see us 'green soldiers." 

om 

A.atbar 



3 

At this place we drew our first tents. They were of the wedge 
pattern, intended a tent for four men. My tent sheltered seven. We 
had drawn a certain number of tents for each Company. Our Com- 
pany being large we were very crowded. Our camp here was in a chest- 
nut grove, and was not long before we were utilizing some of the trees 
building a pen the size of tent and about three or four feet high, placing 
the tents on top of pens gave us more room. We arrived at this camp 
October 6, 18 62. 'Twas not long until we were assigned to the 1st Brigade 
3d Division of the 17th Army Corps. Our Colonel's name was Thomas J. 
Sloan of Chicago. Our Brigade Comander, Colonel Marsh, Col- of the 
20th Ills. Reg. Our Division Comander was John A. Logan of Ills. Our 
Corps Comander was Gen. James B. McPherson of Ohio. We were a 
part of the Army of the Tennessee commanded by Gen. U. S. Grant. 
Our duties here were light, such as guard duty. Company roll was 
called five times a day. If a man failed to answer to his name he was 
marked for extra duty— fatigue duty — which was all sorts and kinds; 
not very laborious on those who were accustomed to labor at home- 
On Sunday morning we had to fall in for inspection. That meant everj'- 
thing a soldier had, his gun accoutrements, knapsack what he had in it 
and his tent. If any portion failed to pass inspection he had to make it 
so it would pass, if it was his brass plates on his accouterments, his 
gun, or even the brass buttons on his coat, for these were expected to 
shine as much as possible. At first many of the boys were rather negli- 
gint about how they looked on inspection. But the lessons received 
we e sufficient to make us all put on a good appearance. 

The hardtack we received here were full of worms. These facts 
were reported to the Colonel, he investigated the matter and went to 
Division Quartermaster who issued good ones to his men. As I remem- 
ber this only happened the one time. One day George Rutherford and 
I had strolled some distance from camp when we found a lost shoat. We 
concluded we would take it home with us. So we "after it" and caught 
it (being swift on foot) skinned it and wrapped it up in a blanket and 
slipped it into camp safely, \vithout being detected. Undoubtedly it wag 
the first of its kind that ever came into the 12 4th Reg. There had 
been strict orders issued to all soldie s against such conduct, and 
although there was a stir made about it through the different camps, we 
were never found out. 

The duties such as guard and picket became heavier and heavier. 
We were learning to be soldiers- Three of the companies drew new- 
guns to replace the almost worthless ones. How we did envy them, those 
guns, but that did not help us any. 

During the last days of October we began to hear rumors of march- 
ing orders, and within a few days they came. We were marched to the 
R. R. depot boarded a train of flat cars was run in a Southerly direction to 
the town of Bolivar, Tenn. Here I saw some more Jersey county boys 
belonging to the 61st Ills, who I never saw again during the war. We 
stopped at Bolivar one night. The next day we fell into ranks and 
started on our first march, having large knapsacks to carry with our 
overcoats rolled on top. The old soldiers would say to us as we passed 
them "we'll get your overcoats before night." In many instances they 
did, but I can truthfully say they did not get mine. How tired I was. 
Nevertheless I was bound to keep all if possible. It seemed the straps 
would cut my shoulders off. 

In the course of two or three days we reached Lagrange. Tenn.. 
where we remained over two weeks. During this time Gen. Grant was 
concentrating a large army at this place. Our camp here was very good, 
all but the water. This we had to haul three miles from Wolf river. I 
drove a six mule team for the first time in my life — and the l;<st also. 



I graduated in one day. The team ran away with me before i :;vit to the 
river, so they had a good time to run with empty wagon and empty bar- 
rels. 1 would never try it again after that experience. I enlisted ^o carry 
a gun so m.v mule "whacking" ended right there and then. 

There is a great army at this place. It means there is somethinfe 
going to be "doing" That is what we came down here for. If we can 
And "Mr. Johnnie" and Gen. Grant says the word to go. We will go 
anywhere the Johnnies will let us. We are kept drilling or on duty, 
fatigue or picket, every day. At this camp was the first chance I had to 
see Brother Joseph; he having enlisted in 1861, was in another Division 
and Corps. We were always so glad to see anyone we had known at 
home, amidst the thousands of men from many different states. We 
had been in the field about one month. Lagrange is East of Memphis. 
Tenn., perhaps fifty or seventy-five miles, a long way from home. We 
wrote many letters to the friends we left at home. The mail reached 
us quite often which made us even more determined to do our very best 
to put these Johnnies out, glad to "holler enough." 

After being at Lagrange a week. Gen. Grant moved his army South 
following the Mississippi Central R- R. We suppose the Johnnies are 
South of us somewhere. • The second day out we camp on a creek called 
Cold Water, properly named for it was as cold as spring water. We found 
that the rebels were camped here while we were at Lagrange. They 
tri^ec^'to pollute the water of this creek so v. e could not use it, bv throv,-- 
ing all the offals of the cattle they slaughtered into the creek. We used 
it as freely with all their great pains. 

The rebel army had retreated South, and as they would not come to 
us we would show them we were down there to "do business" with them, 
if they would give us an opportunity. The next day we marched into 
Hollysprings, Miss. All were gone but women and children and negroes, 
and how it did rain. Our tents were in the wagons somewhere in the 
rear and we were without shelter, wet as water could make us. We 
moved on the next day in the mud to somewhere; some were jolly and 
happy and some were not. 

We thought we were gaining on the Rebels for could hear canonad- 
ing in the distance when we would holler "give it to them" and we 
took longer steps anxious to get to them, even with our old condemned 
guns. The next day brought us to the Tallahatchie river where rebel 
Gen. Price had made a stand for a short time, and had burned all the 
bridges then retreated. We soon replaced the bridges and were on after 
them and continued to follow them for about a week. Every day we 
s.aw rebel soldiers come to our lines and surrended, had had enough 
of war. The thought came to us if they all do that we wont get to 
fight any. The trains in our rear were keeping pretty close up with 
supplies (rations). Rebel Gen. VanDorn with a few thousand Cavalry 
swung around to our rear and captured Gen. Grant's supplies for his 
army. What VanDorn could not use he burned. Gen. Grant faced his 
army north. I had not yet got a shot at a rebel. We were disappointed. 

On Christmas eve we camped in the mud on the Tallahatchie river 
bottom (1862). On the next day we moved about a mile into the tim- 
ber and halted for several days. We had neither tents nor rations. 
Gen. Logan said we could have some corn, that of the two the mules 
could starve, so corn in the ear was issued to us. We could roast that 
as best we could and eat that or nothing. In a few days our Regment 
with five or six wagons marched out to a plantation filled these wagons 
with bacon, sweet potatoes, corn meal, peas, hogs and some fresh beef 
and back to camp same day. We were mad all over because we were 
hungry. Soon rations were plenty. We went back to Lagrange. The 
next move was west on the Memphis and Charleston R. R. distributed 
along to guard this R. R. We were stationed near Colliersville at a long 
and high trestle bridge. While here our tents found us, also a snow 



storm came to us, snow about six inches deep. We also got several live 
hogs here. 

Sometime in January, 18 63, received marching orders that took us 
to Memphis. Had a good camping place in the timber three miles from 
the city. While in this camp the Regiment drew Enfield rifles in place 
of those old useless ones we had been carrying for three months or more 
Here we went to winter quarters, our tents following us. Our duties 
were camp, guard, picket and fatigue. A mail carrier went to the city 
every day for our mail- The health of the boys was pretty good; had 
plenty to do and plenty to eat. 

Sometime in February we were paid two months pay. By this time 
many of the boys had taken sick. A great many means were brought 
to bear upon the men to persuade them to desert, by Northern copper- 
heads who visited the army at this camp. There were only a few who 
left our Regt. We were proud of our new guns. They were sighted 
for eight hundred yards; were of the blach barrel kind. 

At last to our joy marching orders came, after being at this camp 
about one month. Those who were not able to do active duty were 
sent to a hospital in the city. These were never with us afterwards — 
some were discharged and sent home, some died there and some were 
detailed on special duty. I do not remember that I had up to this date 
been sick at all. We struck tents, did them up in as small compass 
as possible to be loaded on to our wagons to follow us. We always left 
camp in a cheerful mood, some singing, some hollering, bands playing, all 
feeling good that we were on the move. 

We were marched through tl^e cty of Memphis to the river wharf 
then on to a boat — the "Platte Valley." Col. C- C. Marsh who bad com- 
manded our Brigade from Jackson, Tenn., was superceded by John 
Haynie. On February 22d we steamed down the river. It was a grand 
sight to behold the vast fleet of transports loaded with soldiers. The 
following day we were landed at Providence, La. We marched out about 
five miles from the river and went into camp on the bank of Lake Pro- 
vidence in a very fertile and beautiful country. Here Charles Barton 
of our Company took sick and died. We hurried him on the bank of 
this lake. Had been here near a month when were ordered to break camp 
having passed through some great rains. 

Our orders took us back to the river and on to the transports. Were 
taken up river a half-doxen miles where we disembarked and went into 
camp. This was called Berry's Landing. While here we were paid four 
months wages. The mortality of the Reg't- was over fifty. We were 
here near a month. Were then marched aboard the transports and 
taken down river to Milleken's Bend, where we found a large portion of 
Gen. Grant's army in camp. Were ordered to go into camp here, awaiting 
further orders. 

We are now about twenty-five miles by river above Vicksburg. 
where the enemy has possession of the river. They intended that Grant's 
Army shall not have Vicksburg. "Yanks" think we wiiy — that is what we 
are after at present. It was naturally a strongly foriied place. 

We'had a thrilling experience with the mosquitoesi'while on "picket." 
Were to have no fire at the reserve post; but we did just the same. 
Were compelled to have a smudge to keep them from eating us up. 
There was no danger that the rebels would be prowling around hunting 
Yankies amidst such varmints, for they were no respectors of persons. 
The torrents of rain had produced a wonderful crop of them. 

Gen. Grant asked for volunteers to run the blockade past Vicksburg 
on transports loaded with army rations. He had failed thus far to get 
on the Mississippi side of river where the Rebel army was- His plan 
was to get army supplies below Vicksburg accompained with what gun- 
boats he had, then could march his army down on opposite side of river. 
There were many more who volunteered to go than were wanted, so none 



were taken from the 124th Ills. Those who went had a thrilling expel*- 
lenre. Th^'.v had seven miles of batteries to pass, the Johnnies firing 
at them as long as their boats were in range. The outcome was, a bril- 
liant success. Of the entire fleet only one transport was disabled It 
floated to saf^-ty and another boat went to its assistance and towed it on 
to Its friends. The enemy was prepared to build huge bonfires on the 
levee or bank of river which made it as light as day. and whv thev did 
not destro.ved many of these boats it seems that "Providence" was on 
Gen. Grant s side Only a few were killed some more were wounded 
iiT rM "f"'^ "'■'''"■ '"'^^ '^^^ *^^ 13th Corps comnarded by .John A 

McClernand. and the 17th Corps commanded by Jam^s B. McPherson 
were to -forward march" on the Louisiana side of river. This was 

^^!,nfT."n"H^°^''^''' '' ''"''''" '"' "^^^ Vicksburg Campaign." Gen. 
Grant called his ( orps commanders together to learn their views as'to 

Vnn nf /i^'^-' '° ^*^'J" ^^ '''''' "^ Vicksburg and the Confederate arm^^ 
a'r^diSXlaTning °it'" ^'^"' ^"' '' '''' ^^^" ^"^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^-^^ ^av. 
H^n.i*^'? '^^•'"" ^'^- \^^^' ""'■ POf'^'on Of this army started from Milleken's 
nH T;^"^ T' t^"»« "°* '« «^ them again for nearly three nfonths 
—until we had captured the Rebel army in Vicksburg and that citv 

s^a'son'of fhe""'"' '.^', '"^^^^' ^° ^°"^ ^^^^ ^'^ never cJuld do At tMs 
count?v B.t he'' 'r«?°^'- '" ."• t'-emendous storms in this part of the 
,? rL n . Campaign wa son, rains and floods could not stop 

It. Gen. Grant acted as if he thought a wet soldier was as good as J 

A..*^^^il*;^Bur?he "c""' "'^..^^™^ ^-^^ ''-'' - ^« tents were^'aken on Ou 

ir-u ^■a^t^virs.u-^us'^anrrh^":^':^ ''' '^- '--^ -- - 

in nil^/r?""*"""*^ '"''" *^^ ^^^^^ batteries at" Grand Gulf and were used 
to place Grant s armv across the river Onr R^cr-f r.^'ll'^vt ■ f 

afternoon of 4nril 'Vi lec-j / ou ^^S t. crossed the river the 

h". LJ ?";; '"''."■" ^""reeled In getting across of the river 
the river had .Parted on out n 'tH^'"-''/^-^' ^^^ preceeded us across 

the faster we traveled entrpr 7^ hJi ^"®'^^- ^^^ the farther we went 
until about one o'c ock ?n the P M "^"^ '"^" '^ "«^^^d- ^n and on, 
surgeons wee caring for the woifnded men ''on ^ ^, ,h«"«« -here our 

separl't: pi"' whi^h \°e'dirnol'sr'''"? '.""^^"^^ ^^^«»^ ^""^P^"-- had a 
marched on to the front Uok onr nf 'k ^"^ ^""^ °'' ^^^ ^^''^- We then 
were ordered to "charge'' which wp S"/.'' '^V' °^' '=- ^'""^J'- Soon 
a Confederate sold er doinV hj^l ll^f't ^""^ ^'''' *^^ ^'""^ *'"™^ ^ ^hot a. 
do not think I hit him nfrhans hp U""' ^""'^'' ^'"""^ ^^e Yanks. I 
halted. Soon Gen Grant c«m^^riH k^^ running too fast. We wer.. 

do better. Of c^urse'he waTt" 1 n%'1h^\?u7i ""t^^ ""T ^"^' ^«'^-- 
courageous and proud as we had H^Ll/.l I .., i"'^ "^'^'^^ "« ^^el very 

rorwara an. „,ar<.eV',f„!'lt''aS .^l^."' \°™r>l „7l,rers Zl:;"^ 



in some woods fired at us but fortunately for us they aimed by the sound 
we were making and shot over us, not hitting a man. The Col. ord-ered 
us to return the fire which we did. We saw the blaze of their guns and 
had a much better aim at them. We were halted soon for the night. 
Hearing the groans of a man, my Captain and others went to the 
sound and found a Rebel officer mortally wounded — shot through the 
stomach. They picked him up, brought him into camp and did what they 
could for the poor man. He died early next morning. Our return fire 
did its deadly work for him. 

We slept very little that night as we had no blankets for covering; 
had marched away from them not knowing that we would ever &ee them 
again. Were up early and after the Johnnies next morning. Soon 
entered the town of Port Gibson. To delay Grant's army the Rebs had 
burned the bridge spanning Bayou Piere. We were marched up this 
Bayou for some distance, were halted, ordered to strip off our clothing 
and wade the stream, whfch we did and did not need a bridge. In find- 
ing our way back to the main road that we had left and the R-ebs werej 
on, we found a large pile of hams and shoulders, the size of which pile 
every man was expected to do his share in reducing. This meat was 
sent out there by the citizens of Port Gibson to be safe from the Yankies. 
However their particular pains worked for our good in this instance. 
This meat was so good: had been smoked and as good as could be made. 

We followed Mr. Johnnies until they crossed Black River. So far 
the campaigning had been all in our favor. We had killed two Rebel Gen- 
erals several hundred men and captured many prisoners. We stopped at 
this place three or four days. The night we reached this resting place I 
was taken very sick, the first sickness I had since 1 was a boy. Our knap- 
sacks came to us here. I want you to know we were so very glad for 
each man to get his own knapsack. This was important for each con- 
tained valuable personal, private property, (valuable to us) and our 
blankets, change of under clothing, etc. 

We afterward learned that we were waitiing for Gen. Sherman's 
Corps that we had left at, or opposite Vicksburg, to come to us. As Grand 
Gulf was evacuated, Sherman crossed the river there with his men. 
When he came to us we refilled our harversacks and cartridge boxes and 
bid good bye to communications with the North and supplies of every 
kind. Gen. Grant's army was sweeping on into the interior of Mississippi. 
Grant had so completely baffled the Rebel authorities they did not know 
where he was or where to find him. When we got marching orders I 
had partially recovered from my sickness. My Captain told me he had 
tried to get me in an ambulance, but they were so full I would have to 
march, so I did sick as 1 was. About the third day out on our march 
Grant's army, or the portion we belonged to, came across a Rebel force 
that put up quite a fight, lasting a couple hours. The casualties of bur 
Brigade was several hundred. In our Reg't was light. A Rebel General 
was killed. This battle is known as "the Battle of Raymond." This 
battle was fought on May 12, 18 63. The battle of Port Gibson or Thomp- 
son Hills on May 1, 1868. The battle at Raymond was fought mostly by 
Logan's Division- — the one the 12 4th Ills, Reg't belonged to. 

We had been marching in an northeasterly direction on the east 
side of Black river and parallel to it; the three Corps each on separate 
roads, within reinforcing distance of each other. The day after the bat- 
tle at Raymond Grant's army pushed on toward Jackson, the capital of 
the state. No fighting. The next day we found the enemy in strong 
fortifications at Jackson. Oh, how it did rain, marching in the rain 
and mud, shoe-mouth deep was fearful. But there was a battle on which 
excited the men's nerves. We pushed on that we might help all possible. 
Soon gained the battlefield and came to dead men. A black smoke was 
rising over the city and the word came to us that the Rebels had evacuated 



set th-f'ir roniinissaries on fire, leaving tlie city for Grant to take posses- 
sion of How we shouted, for it was another victory. Sherman's troops 
fouKht this battle at .Jackson on .May 14, 1863. Gen. McPherson's men 
would have been in the tight had it lasted long enough. Gen. Sher- 
man's men wene ordered into the city and destroyed all property of value 
to the Johnnies or public property. 

Gen. Joseph Johnston commanded the Rebel forces at Jackson, i^e 
retreated to the north of cit.v while Gen. Femberton's army that was at 
Vicksburg was somewhere west of us at this time and we were between 
rhe two Rebel forces. As soon as Jackson was captured we were ordered 
to "about face" and march out over the same road we had come into 
Jackson on. We were then headed toward Vicksburg, or marching west 
hunting Pemberton's army. All day of the 15th of May we marched 
very hard. If he was as eager to find us as we are to find him we surely 
wlli meet soon. After a good nights rest we fell into line. Forward to- 
ward Vicksburg was the word. Had been on the road a short time when 
artillery began to roar. Then our boys would shout "give it to them" 
or "we are coming to help you" in fact all sorts of imaginable phrases. 
Soon we heard the musketry roar; and such a roar, sounded as if no one 
could live amidst such continuous firing. All artillery on both sides 
was busy. It was terrible, beyond human power to describe. 

We were told that Grant's army and Pemberton's army met at 
about 10 a. m. Our part of the army arrived about 1 p. m. We filed 
to the right about one mile, halted, fronted and ordered to lay down. 
The rest was nedcd for we had been marching very fast for several hours. 
The battle was yet going on furiously. Our rest was short. Were soon 
called to "attention" which means to stand in ranks, ordered to load 
our guns, we ktiew that business would soon be on. Gen. I^ogan came 
along saying "Now boys th<> hotter the quicker" meaning the harder we 
fought the sooner it would be over with giving the command "Forward, 
double quick, march." At this time there was a Rebel Brigade of four 
Regiments within two hundred paces of us while we were resting but 
we did not know it. They were on the Rebel left and facing very much 
to the left of ours, so that when we came into range of them, or rather 
in sight of them, we had an enfilading fire on them. As the Rebels 
would say we shot into them en-ways. Ths Rebel Brigade lay on or 
near a small creek from where we were; we were on the top of a hill 
perhaps fifty feet high. Where we rested was just behind the crest of 
this hill, and they did not know there were any Yanks so near them. 
We were on to them without a stop, captured, killed or wounded the 
whole Brigade, there being a very few v.ho escaped. There were over 
seven hundred prisoners taken. The killed and wounded lay the thickest 
I ever saw anywhere, several hundred on a small piece of ground. The 
enemy's artillery being on a high hill over shot us. The casualties of the 
12 4th Reg't. was over fifty, of(Tl>5^'ompany two, one mortally wounded, 
one who recovered from his wounds but never returned to the Com- 
pany. We in this sketch left Gen. Sherman with his Corps at Jackson, 
•Miss., destroying public property such as would be beneficial to the Con- 
federate Government. When the battle opened at Champion Hills we 
were twenty-five miles west of Jackson or over a day's march from 
Sherman's troops. Gen Grant, as soon as the two armies were engaged 
in battle at Champion Hills, sent orders post haste to Gen. Sherman to 
hasten to Champion Hills with his Corps of men, which order he obeyed 
traveling over the same road that McPherson's men had traveled. 

I will again take up the doings of Gen. Logan's Division which I left 
off at the little "Run" or creek, where they destroyed the Rebel Brigade 
for further use to Gen. Pemberton. After a short rest the order came 
to "forward march." Away we went climbing a steep wooded hills. As 
we neared the top of these hilis we discovered the Rebels in strong 
force. Their artiller.v shotted with grape and canister was fired too soon 



to be effective. The officer in command of these guns was sitting on his 
horse and gave the order to "fire" as soon as we came in range of his 
eye, but before we had come in range of the guns. The whole holacust 
of iron hail passed just over our heads. So fortunate for us that he made 
that mistake. Now was our opportunity, and we improved it. A volley 
of musketry from us killed the officer, all the men but two and all the 
horses but one. We captured this battery, which was supported by In- 
fantry, but the onslaught was such that the Rebel Infantry could not 
stand such great force and took to the rear as fast as they could go to 
save themselves from capture. This movement completely turned the 
left flank of the Rebel Army until we were in the rear, or between P'em- 
berton's army and Vicksburg. Also gave us the main wagon road that 
runs from Vicksburg to Jackson, on which Pemberton came out and the 
one he would want to use to get back to Vicksburg to get out of the 
trap he was in. Pemberton ordered his entire army to retreat after the 
battle had been on six or seven hours or they would have been captured. 
They slipped by some by roads, out and on some four miles before they 
came into the road we held. It was near sun down when the victory 
was complete. This was the fourth time we had fought the Southern 
soldiers and had whipped them every time on their own ground. How 
elated we were! What a days work we had done, marched about ten 
miles and had fought a half day. Did not know how tired we were 
until the day's work was done. 

Gen. Grant hastily sent a courier to Gen. Sherman with news of 
the victory of this day, and orders to march to the right and cross Black 
river to the north a few miles (Sherman having a pontoon train with 
him) when across the river to march direct to Haynes Bluff on the Yazo 
river north of Vicksburg. This Sherman did, thereby preventing John- 
ston's Army that we had whipped at Jackson and Pemberton's Army unit- 
ing. It also opened up communications with our supplies and our homes, 
as the Yazo river was navigable from its mouth to this point for our 
transports. At this time Grant's Army had been near four week's in 
the interior that the Government Officials knew nothing of where we 
were nor what we were doing. 

On the next morning after this battle we were up early and off after 
Pemberton and what soldiers he had left. Soon we heard canonading 
ahead, telling us that some of our boys had ovetaken them and were 
saluting them with our destructive shells. On we went. The nearer we 
came to them the swifter was our pace, were wanting another victory. 
We felt that we could whip Pemberton's Army in an open field fight any- 
where. When we got within three miles of the battle the firing ceased 
and soon the word came that the battle was at Black River Bridge, and 
that the enemy had burned the bridge and was doing their best to get 
into their fortifications at Vicksburg which was twelve miles away. 

In the five battles Pemberton had lost them all. Had lost several 
thousand prisoners, all of his artillery — some eighty pieces. So far, it 
had been fight and retreat. A few more like results and Pemberton 
would have no army left. 

Black river was some two hundred feet in width. Each Corps had 
to provide (or did provide) their own crossing. The 13th Corps crossed 
near where the bridge had been; the 17th Corps about three miles 
farther up stream; the 15th Corps fifteen yet farther up. Our Corps 
(17th) tore down buildings for lumber, using cotton bales for floaters. 
We got across by the close of the second days hard work, as all artiller.v 
and wagons had to be drawn up the high river bank by hand with a long 
stout rope with a hundred men pulling. It is astonishing what a load a 
hundred men can move. 

Now we hear the booming of artillery in the direction of Vicksburg. 
Later on we learned that Sherman's Corps had made a hurried march 



from JaokFon to tlip Vazo river, a distance of fifty miles without meet- 
ing anv of the enemv to retard his progress. Gen. Sherman had the 
enemy "••flying" to Vicksburg. He opened up communciations with Por- 
ter's Fleet and supplies for the entire army. 

Gen. Grant's plans from the beginning of this campaign had worked 
like clockwork. Had shut Gen. Pemberton's army up wthin his forti- 
fications at Vicksburg. Our exultations of the achievement Gen. Grants 
army had attained knew no bounds. While on the other hand the Con- 
federate army must have been correspondingly discouraged. 

Bv .May 2f>th Grant's entire army was up in the vicinity of the Vicks- 
burg fortifications. Our artillery kept busily engaging the Confederates 
while the infantry was maneuvering getting into position for to do the 
best work possible to make a continuous line of defense, which was 
twelve miles in length. By the 22d of May, Grant had thought best to 
assault their works, which proved unsuccessful. We got up to their 
works and planted our flag on their works, but could not go over only as 
prisoners. We had to lay beneath the crest of their works until after 
dark. Grant had lost heavily in men while the Confederates loss must 
have been light. After this he settled down to a siege. The position 
of the 124th during the siege was within six hundred feet of the Rebel 
works. Samuel Alexander was the first man of my Company to be 
wounded. He was struck on his left arm by a minie ball, losing about 
six inches of bone between the shoulder and elbow. Of course he waa 
never v. ith the Company afterwards. The Confederates kept up a con- 
tinuous sharp shooting so there was no time but what we were in danger. 

Our position was on a hillside from them. We had to dig out places 
to sleep, to keep from sliding down the hill. We now were on full ra- 
tions. Our transports run up to Haynes Bluff from where our teams sup- 
plied us with rations, clothing, amunition, etc. Our duties were good 
and plenty such as digging for and planting batteries, making rifle pits 
and sharpshooting. The .Johnnies surely enjoyed their fortifications 
judging by the amount of firing they kept up. We soon had near three 
hundred guns playing on their works and thousands of sharpshooters 
shooting at anything that had life in it, near^Hj or far off. Near our 
right was a large ravine that passed from our rear through their forti- 
fications (the Rebels) on west aaid emptied into the Mississippi river 
just north of the city. We being on high ground had many opportunities 
of seeing something to shoot at as we had plain view for over two miles. 
We had only been here a few days when, by our day and night indus- 
try, we had as good a place to sharpshoot from as our neighbors had: 
thereby making it interesting for them as ammunition on our side was 
plentiful. 

The "Sap" or trench we dug was twelve feet wide, six feet deep 
and some seven hundred feet long commencing at our left rear and ex- 
tending up to a Rebel Fort in our front. It v.as made very crooked so 
that the Rebels could not rake it from any direction. The loose dirt from 
the ditch was thrown on the side of the Rebel fire. Square timbers were' 
placed on top of this dirt with gains cut on bottom side for us to look 
through and to shoot through without exposing ourselves to their fire. 
The&e breast works served us the entire siege, were occupied day and 
night where be became very efficient marksman. If a Reb exposed him- 
self in the slighest degree he was our "meat" sure. The same could be 
said of the Rebels. The boys would often test .Johnnies marksmanship 
by placing a hat or cap on ramrod and push it up above the top of our 
logs which were about twelve by twelve inches square. It was astonish- 
ing how soon the Rebel bullets would find said cap or hat. It demon- 
started to us that the Rebel soldier could shoot to the mark, and for. our 
safety not to expose ourselves. Constant firing of artiller.v and sharp- 
shooting day after day and night after night and digging rifle pits in 



ii 

every available place constituted oiir duties. We were up so close to the 
enemy picket duty was abandoned, firing from the rifle pits took its 
place. 

On May 2;')th, white flags were seen on the Rebel works. We won- 
dered what that meant. Soon learned that it meant an armistice or 
cessation of hostilties for four hours in which to bury the dead. The 
stench was so offensive to the Rebels th-ey asked it, the dead being so 
much closer to them than to us. It included many mules as mule feed 
was scarce on the Rebel side of works and they thought to drive them 
over their breast works. We had positive orders to shoot them which 
we did. The dead mules would fall on either side of their works which 
added greatly to the stench. 

On May 2 9th a Captain Rogers in command of a section of McAl- 
lister Battery on our left front while in action playing on Fort Hill (in 
our front) was killed by a Rebel sharpshooter. I located the spot where he 
fell for the Chairman of the Military Park Commission in the year 1902. 
I visited this old battle ground again in the year 1908, and found a 
suitable monument had been erected on this spot to the memory of 
Captain Rogers. 

Captain Foster our Division picket officer thought to erect an ob- 
servatory where he could get high enough to look down on the Rebs 
within their works and camps. This tower was located half way be- 
tween us, on our left front, and the Rebel works. He supposed our 
sharpshooters had silenced all the Rebel batteries and his tower was 
bullet proof, that the Rebels would respect it as a Yankee trick. The 
sequel will show. Away on our right the Rebels had a twenty pound 
parrot gun planted in a position that our boys in its front could not 
reach with any kind of arms. The first day they saw this observatory 
they turned this gun on it and had a picnic knocking Foster's lookout to 
"smithereens." Don't think anyone was hurt for after the first shot 
there was no one in it. Foster did not rebuild his tower so it was a 
failure. This observatory stood out in the open where the Rebels could 
see it from top to bottom, was about six feet square with ladder for 
climbing to top on the inside. The timbers were prepared in the rear 
and conveyed to place where it was erected in shades of night. It was 
also built in the night. As I remember it was from twenty to thirty 
feet high. This Captain Foster, all our boys knew so well. 

This Rebel parrot gun annoyed our Reg't. very much. It almost 
had the range of the entire length of 124th. On one particular occa- 
sion it turned loose at us sending its shots one after another just as 
fast as they could shoot them until they fired eight or ten shots. The 
only one hurt was a colored cook who had one hand taken off by a 
shell. I felt the effects of those shots (the wind of them) as they passed 
me; passing very close perhaps thr&e or four feet of me. About this 
time our officers were planning how best they could stop this disturbance. 
They succeeded in getting two thirty pound parrot guns from Porter's 
Fleet from the Mississippi river. These guns were about fifteen feet in 
length, pe-.haps eighteen inches in diameter at the breech, rifled the 
same as our Enfield muskets and shot very accurately. These guns were 
taken by way of the sap or ditch that we had made to Fort Hill, perhaps 
near midway from us to Fort Hill where they were planted, and trained 
on this Rebel gun. After our guns had fired a few times at it our men 
thought it strange that it was still doing duty. Our officers watched 
with their field glasses and when the muzzle of the Rebel gun came into 
the porthole our guns were fired. One of our guns struck it in its muz- 
zle, tore the end off and landed it to the rear about thirty paces down 
in a ravine. Considering the distance that was a wonderful shot, the 
distance being nearly a mile. You want to know how I know this. 
In a few weeks after this occured the Rebel army surrendered and a 



chain guard or a continuous line of men were placed on guard on the 
Rebel line of works. 1 was one of these guards. We were on duty two 
hours, off four hours. Our res<-rve post was near this Rebel gun. While 
at the reserve post 1 went to look at this gun that had worried us so 
much. Found it as described, with this additional. While I was look- 
ing at it a Rebel soldier came to me and interested me with this infor- 
mation. He said the instant the gun was struck the gunner was sighting 
the same and his head was shot off. While w^e were talking I picked up 
a piece of the frontal skull bone of a man's head and this Rebel soldier 
said that no doubt it was a piece of that gunner's head. 

I must tell you why our guns had failed to silence this gun sooner. 
It set on a plank platform, the left wheel was chained fast to the plat- 
form. When it fired the recoil turned the gun in a circle carrying it 
far enough in circle that the gun was clear of the port hole. The shot 
that hit it ruined the gun, broke its anchorage and sent it to the rear 
where we found it. Our guns up to the last shot had been firing at the 
puff of smoke of the Rebel gun while the recoil was on and it was out 
of danger. 

The spring that furnished us w^ater during the entire siege was 
about forty rods from our camp. To get to it in daylight was very 
dangerous as some fifty paces of that distance was in plain view of the 
Rebel sharpshooters. Some of our boys were killed at this place. We 
sooi; learned to run fast while in the open as the enemy could not hit us 
only when moving slowly, they having to shoot near forty rods. Boeing 
a weak spring we were compelled to go to it in daytime, that is, a part 
of us who could not be supplied during the night. When I visited this 
battlefield in the year 1908 I went to this same old spring nnd took a 
hearty drink. It was yet furnishing about the same amount of water 
as it did in 1863. 

The continuous roar of artillery cannot be described. There were 
three hundred field pieces on Gen. Grant's line of works besides some 
heavy siege guns. There were two eighty-four pounders planted near 
Gen. Logan's headquarters that were veiy active, playing on the Rebel 
forts. The sharpshooters of Grant's army had made it so dangerous for 
the Rebels to use their artillery that it was practically silenced during a 
greater part of the siege. 

Gen. Grant would visit us in the trenches every few days and would 
talk encouraging words to the boys such as "we have got them right 
where we want them," or "it is only a question of time, they must sur- 
render soon or starve." "It is impossible for them to obtain commissary 
supplies. The time must come when the last meal would be eaten." Of 
course such was encouraging to us. 

Gen. Jos. Johnston whom we drove out of Jackson, Miss., threatened 
to raise the siege by attacking Gen. Grant's rear thereby letting Gen. i^eni- 
berton's army out of Vicksburg. Gen. Grant expected he would try that 
game and made ample provisions for just such a move. :^ had a force 
of troops extending from the Yazo river to Black river to attend to Gen. 
Johnston. Gen. Grant had his fo ce of troops perhaps forty or Hftv 
thousand sent him from other departments to guard his rear, to watch 
Gen. Johnston. These troops took no active part in the siege but those 
who did felt perfectly safe that Johnston's troops would not harm us, 
while our men were on the lookout for them. Gen. Johnston's armv 
never got closer than forty or fifty miles of Vicksburg. Our Cavalry was 
also scouting and watching Gen. Johnston all the while so Gen. Grant 
knew every day what was doing in the rear as well as in the front. Gen 
Pemberton knew it would be suicide to attempt to cut his wav out of 
Vicksburg to join Johnston so he resolved to defend the city to "the last. 

We received our mail quite regularly, letters from friends and papers 
to get the "war news" from other departments. 



13 

The pesky minnie ball was getting in its deadly work. One could 
hear it passing along making its whistling music. With our utmost pMs- 
caution many of the boys were crippled for life or killed by them. There 
was a Reb-el sharpshooter off to our right who did much deadly work. 
The bullet from his gun had a peculiar sound of its own. This fellow 
was doing such terrible work among our boys that it attracted the at- 
tention of our superiors and they scanned the Rebel territory to locate 
Mr. Sharpshooter with their field glasses. They found him perched 
up in a tall tree concealed by a heavy foliage. They soon brought to bear 
on this sharpshooter a six pound brass rifle piece. After taking deadh' 
aim, distance one-half mile, they fired. One shot was all that was needed 
for Mr. Johnnie came tumbling to the ground. That put an end to his 
mischief. This I saw as true as that there were any Rebels to shoot at. 

On June 14th my bunkmate and I as usual were sharpshooting side 
by side all day until near night when Mr. Phillips (that was my bunkie's 
name) was shot in the face. That blinded him and he fell over back- 
wards. He was placed on a stretcher and carried to the hospital where 
his wound was dressed. Mr. Phillips and I had been bed fellows from 
the time we had left home until this time. He and I, and all though-(' 
his wound was not dangerous, that in a short time would recover and be 
active again. In fact he was up and came to our camp on a little visit 
to see us boys. But it was ordered otherwise. Erysipelas developed 
in his wound which soon proved fatal. This grand soldier's death was 
a terrible loss to me. He told m.v parents he would take care of me — he 
and my parents were near neighbors prior to our enlistment. Mr. Phil- 
lips left a wife and three children to mourn his loss as well as so many 
comrade friends. This comrade was very conspicous when in battle, 
was a great maiksman with a gun. His death occured on the 2 8th of 
June just two weeks to the hour from the time he was wounded. I 
must say just here, when I visited the beautiful National Cemetery at 
Vicksburg in 1902, to my joy and pleasure I found that this true comrade 
with others of my Company and Regiment had been placed within its 
walls and their graves were being cared for by the Government that they 
had died to save. 

The Vicksburg National Cemetery was established in 1866. Is lo- 
cated two miles due north of the Court House at Vicksburg. It con- 
sists of forty acres of land. Is inclosed with a brick wall three and a 
half feet high. The great Mississippi river flows close by. All the U. 
S. soldiers (Federals) who were killed or died of disease or otherwise 
during the war within a radius of many miles of Vicksburg were sought 
out and placed in this Cemetery. In 1902 the number of burrials were 
sixteen thousand seven hundred and eighty-four. The number 
known was four thousand twenty-one. Unknown twelve thousand seven 
hundred and sixty-two. Each grave has a granite marker. Where 
known the soldier's name is on stone at head of grave. Where unknown 
the marker is aHya umbered. 

The siege wore along with all kinds of rumors, soir.elime^ that Gen. 
Joe Johnston was going to attack us in the rear. This did not worry us 
for we had enough confidence in Gen. Grant to know he was looking out 
for our rear as well as our front. Our duties were heavy. We were 
completing the ditch up to the Rebel Fort and sharpshooting day and 
night. Since my bunkmate died from his wound I put in double time 
in the riflle pits sharpshooting. Must even up matters if possible. We 
often hollored over to the Johnnies asking them to oil or grease; they 
would say "yes." then we would say "well grease yourself and slide 
back into the Union." Bang would go their guns for our kind advice. 
Then we would retort. "Oh, Johnnie, we've got you, you are our prison- 
ers, but you are boarding .vourself." Then we would ask them how mule 
meat was for a daily ration. Then the bullets would fly for awhile. They 



14 

would ask us when we were coming into the city. Perhaps we would 
want to know of them why they did not come out to reinioi*'! Gen. Joe. 
Johnston, that he was needing them. They made various replies. Our 
supe.ior officers soon put a stop to this bantering. 

In digging the trench from our lines up to the Rebel fort our men 
had a flat car covered with cottonbales which they rolled in front of the 
sappers to prevent the Rebels from disturbng the miners. As soon as 
it got near enough the Rebels threw turpentine balls lighted on to this 
car and burned it up. That spoiled our protection. After this we usied 
l)ales of cotton, as w-e advanced the cotton bales were rolled ahead of us. 
Some genius made a wooden morter out of a log. He hollowed out the 
log placed some bands or iron around it and by using a small charge 
of powder it would toss a six pound shell over the works on to the 
enem.v. The Rebels had a heavy gun to our left front we called "Whistl- 
ing Dick," that made us hunt our holes. Being out of range of our 
fjus '.vc fnii!(1 not silence it. Very many of its sheels vould not burst 
until after they had struck the ground, then it would tare up the ground 
so that a mule or two could be buried in the holes it made. 

Our duties we thought were very heavy. We did our own cooking, 
washed our clothes once a week, that was very necessary on account of the 
vermin being so plenty, sharpshooting and digging trenches. At last we 
got the trenches done, the big trench being completed up to the R-ebel 
fon, about the middle of June. All the while we kept up active sharp- 
shooting from every avaiable spot at every thing we saw move — man 
or beast. 

It was thought best by some to blow up Fort Hill. That would 
break the Rebel line sufficient to allow the Federals to march through 
the lines and take possession of Vicksburg. So miners were put to work 
drifting under this fort. They made a main shaft near the center of the 
fort then drifted three in dilferent directions. When they completed this 
they planted three mines of powder twelve hundred pounds each, and 
filled up the drifts with timbers and cordwood. Being all ready the ex- 
plosion took place at four P. M., on the 25th of June. The artillery all 
along the line was active at that hour. The purpose was to hold the 
Rebels from reinforcing where the explosion took place, thereby the as- 
saulting column would not meet with so heavy resistance. Our Bridage 
was to be the assaulting column which was as follows: The 20th Ills., 
."1 Ills., 4.5th Ills., 124th Ills., 23rd Indiana. Having been notified we 
v.-ere all ready. Every man had his gun loaded and primed waiting for 
orders to movn. At last the explosion was heard. As soon as the debris 
cleared away the 4 5th Ills, made the assault. In a few minutes the 
3 1st Ills, took the place of the 45th boys. A few minutes more the 20th 
Ills, relieved the 31st. AH fought desparately losing some valuable of- 
ficers and a great many men. It was given up as a failure, the lay of the 
ground on Rebel side of works was impregnable. The 12 4th Ills, was 
standing in line nearby expecting to be ordered any moment into the 
fray. But night coming on we were ordered back into the rifle pits to do 
sharpshooting which was kept up all night. On the morning of the 2 6th 
the 124th was ordered into the "Crater" or place of the mine explosion. 
This place as near as 1 can describe it was shaped like a large wash basin 
and was about fifty feet in diameter. There was next to the Rebels a 
bank of the fort perhaps eight feet higher than any other part of what 
was left of the fort after the explosion. There were eight Companies of 
our Regt. two of which were ordered into the Crater at a time, staved in 
twent.v minutes then were relieved by two other Companies. ' This was 
the order for the entire day. One third of the men were placed as near 
the top of this bank or crest of fort as they could get and not be seen 
by the Rebels for the purpose of firing the guns the other two-thirds of 
the men, who were lower down in the Crater, loaded and passed up to 



15 

us. My position was up near the crest of the fort on the firing 
line. Those gun barrels became very hot, so much so that my left hand 
became seared or blistered in handling those hot guns. My duty was to 
poke the loaded gun over this bank and tire it off having no knowledge 
whether 1 was doing any execution or not. After firing passed the gun 
down to be reloaded. Perhaps we had been two or three times in this 
Crater when the Rebels began tossing six pound shells with lighted fuse 
over at us. They came directly over my head, could have reached those 
shells if so disposed. I knew too well their contents and what they meant 
for us if we happened to be in their way. I think it was the first one 
they threw over that rolled into Robert Vance's lap and exploded, he was 
sitting down about sixteen feet from where I was. He fell forward on his 
face mangled badly. In a few minutes another came over rolled to his 
side then exploded tearing the poor man into shreads. Soon anofher 
came over and exploded, mortally wounding George Grabendike and 
George Lanham. All three belonged to my Company and were married 
men. It was too much for mortal man to stand such destruction. Those 
men of that vicinity who could get away did so, leaving the Crater and 
went out into the trench. As the gunloaders had fled for saftey, I made 
it my business to follow as I had no ammunition to work with. It was 
a very hot place to be in if we had had nothing to have done, no breeze 
could touch us. Then add those bursting shells that filled the air with 
dirt throwing it all over us. It simply can not be described. It was 
terrific. It was afterwards named "The Slaughter Pen." The Rebels 
could tell they were doing execution for they could hear our men holler 
and groan when struck, as there w'as only a few feet space between us 
and them. This work they kept up for some hours. Other Companies 
suffered badly. Many of our men had their hands wounded while firing 
over the crest of the fort by bullets from the enemy. Toward evening 
we were relieved by a Reg't of another Brigade. When my Company 
fell in to be relieved there were only ten, that morning there were 
twenty-two. These eight Companies had lost over fifty men. The Reg't. 
that relieved us was not ordered into the Crater but was placed in the 
trench to keep up sharpshooting all night. 

After being relieved we marched to our camp — what was left of us 
— tired and dirty, to get us some supper. By some miraculous power I 
had not been hurt. 

The days work p'oved useless. Our side had not gained any ad- 
vantage by all this strenuous work. We settled down to regular siege 
work — sharpshooting. We had become experts vs-ith out rifles. If a Reb, 
or any living thing showed himself he was in great danger of a Yank.^ 
bullet. You will wonder at our firing after dark and throughout the 
night. The orders were to keep up a constant fire. Every man was 
expected to fire forty rounds during his two hours of duty. All that 
was expected of us was to point our guns toward the enemy and fire. It. 
was a common saying with the boys that we were shelling the woods with 
our bullets. After the surrender a Confederate soldier told me that a 
Johnnie, was killed while walking his beat in front of Gen. remberton's 
headquarters which was two and a half mile from the firing line. 

So much firing caused us to pad our right shoulders, as the con- 
stant back action was such that this padding became very necessary. 
I have not to this day forgotten how sore my shoulder was at that time. 

The engineers with a detail of men were busy drifting again beneath 
Fort Hill, if successful to blow it up the second time. On .luly 1st, all 
being ready the mine was sprung. Oh my, what a sight it was. limbers, 
dirt, men all in the air at once. The Confederates presuming that we 
would try to break the line at this point reinforced it heavily, notwith- 
standing our artillery was playing on them all along the line. On they 
came. Our punishment at first blowing up was sufficient to satisfy all 



16 

concerned. The last explosion was terrific in its destruction. Of the rnen 
we saw in the air there were six. three soldiers and three negroes, that 
fell on our side of line all dead but one, that one a negro lad about fifteen 
yeaiB old. Our boys said to him "How high up did you go Sambo? 
Don't know massa. spec about tree miles. Oh no Sambo? Well 1 went 
until I seen de stars. When 1 was coming down I met massa going up. 
This negro was taken to our Brigade headquarters (Gen. Legget's), 
where he remained as a lacky servant for some time. The punishment at 
this second explosion was all on the Rebel's side. The immense amount 
of dirt was mostly shifted towards the Confederates which buried about 
fifty of their men alive. They expected the Yanks to charge at this time 
in an attempt to break their line, but were happily disappointed. 

The sharpshooting and shelling was kept up constantly day and 
night by the Federals until the third day of July we noticed their white 
flag on the Rebel works to our left and soon all along their line. This 
meant an armistice — or to cease hostilities — to cease firing. 

In a short time soldiers of both armies were up on their respective 
works talking to each other and wondering what this all meant. The 
t onfec'erates were as ignorant as we were. So*.'!. Gen. Gram and tour 
or five other Generals of lower rank came riding along our large trench 
as far as the fort where the? turned to the left, rode about one hund- 
red paces and stopped. Then we saw three men ride out of the Rebel 
lines to where Gen. Grant was awaiting them. This party proved to be 
Gen. Pemberton and some minor officers. This meeting was for the pur- 
pose o'i api I-'. Ailing terms of capitulation. Grant's le uis did not p'ease 
Gen. Pemberton. The meeting was soon over each party going to their 
respective headquarters, with the understanding that the white flags 
should remain where they were until daylight the next morning. Then 
if Gen. Pemberton accepted Gen. Grant's terms the white flag should 
remain up, if not they would take them down and the fighting would 
be on in full force. It appeared that Pemberton wanted to consult his 
prominent Generals regarding terms that had t-_'en offered them, to 
decide what he best do surrender or not. Sometime in the night of July 
3d Gen. Grant received a communication from Gen. Pemberton that bis 
terras were accepted. 

The first thing we did on the morning of July 4th was to look for 
the white flag. To our surprise they were yet waving, saying "no fight- 
ing." What else it meant we did not know. The stillness was oppressive 
no bullets whistling, no roar of artillery. All was absolutely still. How- 
can we endure such a change was in every man's mind. For forty-seven 
days and nights there had been a constant roar of musketry and artillery, 
every moment had been full of excitement, our nerves had been strung 
to the top notch. This extreme was almost unendurable. About nine 
o'clock we received the word that Gen. Pemberton was going to sur- 
render his army the city and military property. About ten o'clock the 
headquarter Cornet Band came near to our camp. The first we knew of 
them they commenced playing "Hail Columbia." It was the first note of 
music we had heard for more than six weeks. While the band was play- 
ing the Confederate soldiers marched to the outer side of their works 
where they stacked their guns, accouterments and flags then returned 
to the inside of their works. They were our prisoners. What a sacri- 
fice had been made to accomplish this result. 

Gen. Grant had on the battlefield at Vicksburg about forty thousand 
men, and under his cotnmand at the close of the siege between eighty 
and ninety thousand men. The very moment Gen. Grant knew^ that 
Gen. Pemberton's army had surrendered, he ordered Gen. Sherman to 
take an army and chase Joe Johnston and his men out of the state or 
a long ways to the rear which he did. 

Gen. Grant designated Gen. Logan's Division to march* into the 



17 

city ahd take possession of the prisoners and also the government property 
that would soon be stored or unload-ed in Vicksburg. The 45th Ills. 
Regt. was in advance and soon their flag was flying from the top of Vicks- 
burg's Court House. The 124th Ills. Regt. went into the city that day. 
I with others was detailed for guard duty. There was a continuous line 
of guards on the Rebel line of works from one end to the other, so 
as to keep all the Confederate soldiers on the inside until properly dis- 
posed of. 

The capitulation of Pemberton on .July 4th meant much to the 
Federal army, a double celebration. To our Regt. it meant among other 
things that our tents would find us again once more. We had left them 
at Millikens Bend on April 25th. 

The Confederates were as anxious to get out of Vicksburg as we 
were to get into Vicksburg. They were anxious to hear from their homes 
and to learn the news from other departments. The lack of food was 
the main reason for surrendering when they did. There were ten thous- 
and citizens who were hungry, and who had fled from their homes to 
caves in the hills as Porter's Fleet shelled the city all the while during 
the siege. 

Our Division Commander Gen. Logan was placed in command of 
the Post. These confederate soldiers had to be fed, in round numbers 
about thirt.v thousand, and a large per cent of the citizens of Vicksburg. 
For the lack of transportation facilities. Gen. Grant decided to parole 
the entire army that we had captured, which took five or six days. When 
the paroles were all made out each soldier had his individula parole in 
his pocket. They were allowed to march out through the line of guards. 
As before stated I was placed on as one of these guards. Sometime 
during the fourth of July a Confederate soldier came to me and asked 
me if I would give him something to eat. I replied "yes." As I had 
a full haversack I gave the poor fellow all I had except my coffee, for I 
knew where close by could get plenty more. Of course while he was 
filling up on Uncle Samuel's rations we were visiting. I asked him if 
he was ever up north. "Oh yes," "Ever as far north as Illinois?" He 
answered, "Illinois, Illinois," (with som-e hesitance" "I don't know sah. 
I have an uncle somewhere in Illinois on the sea-coast." I said to him 
that I didn't think he had ever been that far north. "Well" he said with 
much boldness "I have been as far as Holly Springs, Mississippi," which 
place was about one hundred miles from where we were then standing. 

During my twenty-four hours detail I was taken seriously sick, was 
compelled to remain where I was at the reserve post, but was excused 
from further duty by the Seargant of the guard. The relief guard did 
not come to relieve us until the evening of July 5th, quite late. I was 
too sick to attempt to find my Regt. that night so st^ived at fhi:; reserve 
post until the following morning. On the morning of July 6th I started 
out to find by Regt. had not seen for two days. Did not have the least 
idea where it was located. After much inquiring I found it about noon 
about a mile out from the city. Our tents had arrived. The ground 
they occupied was absolutely bare of a single shade tree. Oh, but it 
was hot. The Doctor came to see me, but it was several days before was 
able to do duty. About this time we received orders to strike tents, fall 
in and march. We moved about two miles northeast and made camp 
amidst some heavy timber, where we had beautiful shade for both man 
and beast. As was our custom the first thing we did was to clear up thei 
ground so it looked as if ladies had swept and garnished it. But to 
see a lady in camp was something very unusual. Once in a great while 
an officer's wife would come to visit him from th-e north. How pleased 
we all would be to see them. 

At this camp the paymaster paid us two months pay. For a private 
soldier two months wages was $26. After a few days here I was taken 



1^ 

verv sick and was carried to the Regimental Hospital. They had built 
an "arbor for the sick men. I was placed under this arbor where I lost 
consciousness and reinaind unconscious for several days. When I re- 
gained consciousness I was in a hospital tent, and had one of my own 
('ompany for a nurse. Sometime during the fore part of August a general 
order from the War Department was issued to send all sick soldiers, 
who were able to be sent north. My nurse came to me and said "Steve, 
you must change your hospital clothes and put on your own clothes. 
you are going to be sent north." By the time I was ready an ambulance 
came for me where I was loaded in and taken to the wharf at the boat- 
landing at Vicksburg. This boat, I was taken aboard of, was fitted up 
expresssly for sick soldiers. It was soon filled and steaming up the 
river. 

There were thousands of soldiers who needed to be sent notth so 
this boat was unloaded at Memphis, Tenn., and returned for others. 
We had come about four hundred miles north. I was placed in a large 
building l<nown as Webster Hospital. After being there thirteen days, 
iiaving gained a little strength, I was given a thirty day furlough to my 
home, which I took. Went within six miles of home on the steamboat. 
At the expiration of thirty days I was not sufficiently improved to return 
to service. The attending physician gave me an affidavit to that effect. 
I remained at home another thirty days. After which time I reported 
to the Webster hospital at Memphis, Tenn. The head physician said to 
me "It seems to do you bovs much good to be sent home." I replied 
that it had done me a very great good. He asked me "Do you want 
to go to your regiment or stay here a few days. I told him 1 ^vnnlod to ^o 
to my Regt. He turned to an officer and told him to get necessary 
transportation for me to my Regt. I was soon on my way ploughing 
down the river to Vicksburg. During my absence my Brigade had been 
sent twelve miles east to Black River Bridge, the which I soon learned 
upon my arrival at Vicksburg. 1 boarded a train that took me out to 
■where I found the 12 4th Regt. The Company bo.vs were glad to see me 
march into camp again. They said they never expected to see me again. 
The last they saw^ me was in the Reginmental hospital three months be- 
fore and very sick. I had entirely recovered and was immediately re- 
ported for duty, on the Company books. Which duty consisted chiefly 
of picket duty. 

The Black river was the line between us and the Rebel territory. 
At this camp we were ordered to go into winter quarters. We raised 
our tents on a board wall from three to four feet high. Had a lower 
and upper bunk with a brick fireplace for each tent and chimneys of 
all sorts, perhaps ten feet high. In these tents we kept very comfortable. 
Thus fixed we had kitchen, dining room bed room, all in one room about 
seven by nine feet. There were about sixteen tents to a Company, eight 
on either side of the street running through the center. Each tent had 
from two to four soldiers in it. Each Company had to provide its own 
fuel to burn, taking about a wagon load a week. 

Our Division was known as the 3rd Division 17th Army Corps. The 
Division was made up of the 1st, 2nd. and 3rd Brigades. The 1st Brigade 
was camped at the railroad at Black river bridge. The other two Bri- 
gades were in at Vicksburg. Our Division Commander Gen. Legget 
thought it good to offer a $200 banner to the best drilled Regt. in his 
Division. There were many conditions in the offer. It included cleanli- 
ness of camp, soldierly appearance and conduct, Battallion movements,' 
manual of arms, etc. This flag should always be known as a Division 
banner or in other words, the Regt, carried it should belong to the 3rd 
Division 17th Army Corps. 

The officers of the 124th Regt. entered into the competition for 
Banner for all that was in them, to win. So for two months we had much 



19 

practice. Battallion drill every day, sometimeis twice a day, excepting 
Sundays. A committe of five officers in the Division were appointed 
judg-es to decide at each contest. Each Brigade was to drill separate 
to decide which Regt. was the excelsior one in each Brigade. Each Bri- 
grade was todrill on separate days, so that the judges could act for all. 
They commenced with the 1st Brigade, all doing their best. The 12 4tli 
Regt. won in the 1st Brigade. The 2nd Brigade drilled next. The 7 8th 
Ohio Regt. won in that Brigade. Next was the 3rd Brigade. The 17th 
Ills. Regt. won in that Brigade. In a few da.vs w^e were notified that we 
would have to drill against the 7 8th Ohio and the 17th Ills. On a cer- 
tain day at Vicksburg. When the day arrived a train of cars was senr, 
out to take the 124th boys to Vicksburg. Leaving the cars we marched 
to the grounds where we ate our dinner. The time set for the drill was 
1 P. M. At the proper time the other two Regiments came on to the 
grounds. There was a tremendous crowd of sightseers present, so many 
that the drill ground had to be guarded b.v other soldiers. First the 
Regimental Command recast lots to see who would drill first. It fell lo 
the 12 4th to drill last. We felt while watching those two Regts. drill, 
they did so well it was not possible that we could excell. Each Regt. 
was to drill forty minutes. The signal was given for us to show what 
we could do and every man determined to do his best. When the con- 
test was over the judges unanimously declared the 124th Ills, had won the 
Excelsior Banner. Our competitors cheered us hearitly. Then Gen. 
.McPherson our Corps Commander rode forward and presented the Ban- 
ner to our Colonel, John H. Howe, with a very complimentary speech. 
W'e felt we were amply repaid for the strenuous work it had cost us. 

We were taken back to our camp on a train of cars. Were met 
at stopping place by our Brigade to do us honors for the success we had 
achieved, sa.ving, if they could not win the Excelsior Banner they were 
proud to have it come to the 1st Brigade. Surely we felt proud of our 
achievements. 

The next few weeks duties were not so arduous for us being mostly 
picket duty. Occasionally the Rebel Cavalry would make a dash on 
the outpost or videt picket. But they knew so well where to stop, not to 
go too far. I was on picket once when they made a dash but they did 
not come close enough for me to get a shot at them, yet they were in 
sight. They were on horseback. They had a cowardly plan of slipping 
up in the night and firing on our picket. 

Our Brigade Commander issued an order that a small per cent of 
the soldiers could go out in the timber squirrel huting, a diversion from 
the monotony of lying about camp. I went one day but found no game. 
The squirrels had fled across Black river to safety, we supposed. On 
our way back to camp following along the river we came to a place wher« 
some Rebs had felled some trees from each side of river into the river 
interlacing the tops so as to make a foot-bridge whereby they could 
cross over, fire on our pickets then recross under the cover of night. 

We had some fine athletes with us such as wrestlers, jumpers and 
foot racers. These fellows furnished much amusement during that winter. 
We soon learned who the different champions were. John Vlearbone of 
Company C. was the champion foot racer. Captain Fields of Company 
C. was the champion half hammond jumper. Walla Baker of Company 
H. was the champion three-jumps jumper. These three men were cham- 
pions of our Regt. in their several spheres. 

We were allowed to visit friends in adjoining camps, but always had 
to have a pass when we wished to be absent from our Company, no matter 
were we wished to go or for how short a time. This was necessary that 
our officers might know where their men were at all times. 

One of the daily duties* was dress parade. Every man was ex- 
pected to go on dress parade unless excused by the surgeon. To be ex- 



20 

cused from duty of any kind the soldier iiad to attend the sick-call, which 
was sounded at a certain hour every morning, and be excused by the 
Doctor. Otherwise he was subject to any duty that he was liable to be 
wanted to perform. 

It was almost a daily occurrence for citizens from across the lines 
to come to our headquarters to purchase supplies. These were mostly 
women. Thev would buv such as tobacco, cigars, gloves, drugs, but 
nothing to eat of any kind. Usually the.v were a sorry looking outfit 
To see a woman returning home with a great large cigar in her mouth 
was a disgusting sight to us Northern men. The women of the South 
use tobacco in some form, smoking, chewing or snuff as a generality or 
did at the war period. 

On the 2nd of February, 1864, we received orders to prepare to 
march. Had been in this camp more than three months. On February 
3rd the drum beat the "fall-in"call. Soon we were moving across Black 
river to the east. As we had a winter's rest, were in fine trim to inarch 
with the best of them. We soon learned that there was a large army to 
keep company with us, the 16th Corps, commanded by Stephen A. Hurl- 
bert, ai]d the 17th Corps, commanded by .Tames B. McPherson. Both 
these men were Major Generals. The 16th Corps, twelve thousand strong, 
and the 17th Corps, about fifteen thousand strong, with some Cavalry 
and ArHllery sufficient to make a force of thirty thousand men, was under 
the immediate command of Major General W. T. Sherman. The 17th 
Corps was in advance. This size army, on a single road in marchin.n 
order, including the necessary wagons that had to be taken along, would 
cover a fifteen-mile stretch of road. A government wagon is hauled by a 
six-mule team, with one man as driver, sitting on the near-wheel mule, 
driving with a single line. The Artiller.v had from six to eight horses 
to each gun, the same number to a Caisson or Ammunition chest. In- 
variably the Government supplied the Artillery and Cavalry service with 
horses, and the wagons to haul Government stores, camp equippage, etc., 
with mules (that is, in the army that I was with). 

Our tents were left standing at the place of starting. None of us 
had the remotest idea where we were going but General Sherman. He 
knew, of course, where we had started for, and it was up to the other 
fellow whether we succeeded or not. 

We had gone but a short distanec when we heard firing at the front. 
The scouts had found Mr. Rebel, who had exchanged shots with our boys. 
But this great force of men moved on the first day. The second day 
there was enough force to dispute the right of way. Our advance de- 
ployed two Regiments in line of battle, with skirmishers in front to clear 
the road. As we advanced there seemed to be more of the enemy in our 
front. Will say just here, an army as this was, had to eat cold dinner. 
Every soldier was supposed to carry his own rations, and could eat at 
any time he chose during the day; at night and morning, could build a 
fire and boil his coffee and warm his "sow belly," if he had any, to go 
with his hard tack. Sometimes he might have some sweet potato or 
chicken for a variety to go with his Government rations. These, how- 
ever, were not issued to us by Uncle Sam. 

I think it was on the third day out that we came to the saddest sight 
that I saw while in the army. It was one of our men lying by the road- 
side with his head shot off by a cannon ball. We were told he was on 
the skirmish line, was concealed behind a large gate post, but exposed 
his head to a rebel gun near by with the result as above stated. The 
entire head was gone, nowhere to be seen. Of the many men who I had 
seen wounded in all conceivable forms and mangled to shreds, this 
incident made the strongest appeal to my humane feelings of them all. 
The gun. at the time it shot this man. was standing in the back yard of 
a residence. While it was being fired at our men, a woman stood near it, 



21 

and was killed by a bullet from some of our skirmishers, so we were told. 
I did not see her, as they had carried her into the house ere our part 
came along. 

The enemy was not yet strong enough to give battle, so we made the 
usual day's march. On the fourth day, early in the morning, our Bri- 
gade being in front, we passed through Clinton, Miss. My Regiment be- 
ing on the skirmish line, we soon met the enemy in force. We were 
halted. While we were halted there was a piece of shell just missed my 
head. I could not hear anything out of my left ear for the remainder 
of the day. The 16th Corps was sent to the left, trying to get behind the 
enemy, but they found it out in time to retreat and save themselves from 
capture. We were ordered forward. This was the early part of the day. 
The Rebels made no attempt to engage in battle that day. About camp- 
ing time our Division Commander halted us, and said he had just received 
word that our Cavalry had possession of Jackson, Miss., and they wanted 
some Infantry to help hold it, also that he expected to go into camp here. 
He said, "Will you go?" Some one asked him how far it was, and he 
replied, three miles. The men said, "Yes, yes, we are good for three 
miles more." We found those three miles long ones after three hours 
of hard marching. They proved to be nine miles. He may have meant 
.three times three, but did not say so. At any rate it was a real object 
lesson to us ever afterwards; at least we were never fooled so easily 
again. We made twenty-five miles that day, several of them in line of 
battle. 

The next morning I could hear very well, and the Rebels did not try 
to retake Jackson. It was simply a ruse played on us completely. We 
. got to rest the next day, while the remainder of the army overtook us. 

This city, Jackson, suffered much from the war. This was the third 
time the Federal army had entered it. The poontoon bridge soon was 
laid across Pearl river, which flowed just east of the city. After crossing 
the river, we pushed on to the east at regular rate, no organized Rebel 
army being immediately in front of us. Thus we continued for a few 
days, when the indications were plain that the enemy was increasing in 
force in our front. About this time our Brigade of four Regiments was 
ordered off to the right o fthe main column, to a station on the Vicksburg 
and Charleston railroad, to burn the railroad bridge, tear up the track, 
and burn what cotton we found, etc. Each man was to carry sixty rounds 
of ammunition. Before we reached the station, we came to the Rebel 
pickets, quartered in an unfinished building. In the same yard was a 
family residence. By an order from the commanding officer, a file of men 
from my Company was detailed to burn those houses. The poor woman 
pleaded for her home, but that could not save it. Such was war. No 
doubt the commander had justifiable reasons for issuing the order, but 
to a private soldier it seemed contrary to the Golden Rule. 

We soon discovered a strong force. Two Regiments of our men 
were deployed as skirmishers, the other two as supporters. Orders were 
given to advance on the double-quick. This proved to be the right move, 
as the enemy hastily evacuated the place. In their great hurry they left 
a number of loaded wagons in the small river near by, cutting the mules 
loose, thereby making their escape from the Yankee Army. The Rebels 
could easily have stood us off, for they outnumbered us, but they had no 
way of knowing but what Sherman's whole army was coming onto them. 

In making this advance, the Rebel bullets were singing pretty 
plentifully. I heard a man of my Compnay say, "Oh, Lieutenant, I am 
nearly dead." I looked to see what the trouble was, and to my surprise 
I saw the Lieutenant had his sword against the man's back, keeping him 
in place with this explosive, "Oh, damn you. you have never smelled 
gunpowder yet, but you have got to smell it today." This poor fellow, 
somehow, some way, in all the battles we had been in, was always miss- 



22 

ing. Perhaps we would not see him for five days afterwards. His stoi-V 
of his absence was that he had been fighting with some other Regiment. 
Tlie boys had another version of the matter, however. For this man's 
satisfaction, the enemy had flown, and he would not have to hunt another 
Regiment to do his part with. I shall name this man John, as wilj 
allude to him again, as he became notorious before we camped for the 
night. 

After we came into possession of Chunkeysville, the work of destruc- 
tion commenced, which included the burning of a vast amount of cotton, 
railroad depot, railroad track and bridge over the river, and two strong 
stockades. This was railroad and Confederate property. When through, 
turned and marched until we found the road the main column had trav- 
eled, where we camped for the night. During the afternoon's march, in 
passing a pretentious plantation house, an officer of my Company said, 
"I will carry any man's gun and accoutrements who will go into that 
house and bring me a coverlet." John said, "I'll do that." So it was 
arranged and carried out. Soon after, we went into camp. Shortly after, 
a woman, with some small children came into camp, all crying, and went 
to my Colonel, saying that his men had taken all her bed clothes. The 
Colonel told her to go through his Regiment, and anything that she found 
that belonged to her, she should have. Suffice it to say the poor woman 
did not find what had been taken from her. What I have related about 
John shows that all who wore the "Blue" were not built alike; also that 
if all were heroes, it must include on different lines of action. This tiak- 
ing of personal private property was all wrong at that time, as any time 
before or since. 

We moved early next day, and marched into Meridian, Miss., where 
we found Sherman's army. This town is located at the crossing of the 
Vicksburg and Charleston railroad and the Mobile and Ohio railroad. 
Our business was to destroy these railroad tracks, rendering them as use- 
less for the future as possible. We tore up thirty miles of track within 
the time we were there. We burned the ties, and twisted the rails by 
heating them. Some of these we wound around trees — of course "with 
our blessings." 

Meridian at that time was a small village. Only fine Confederate 
industry was located here, which was destroyed. OneJsherman's men 
took this opportunity for revenge. It seemed that this fellow passed 
through Meridian on a former occasion, being a prisoner of war. While 
here a certain woman asked his guard the privilege of spitting in the 
Yankee's face, which was given her. So at this time he called on the 
woman, mentioned the fact what she had done, and told her that now it 
was his time for sweet revenge. He set her house afire, which burned. 
She rescued some of her chattels, carrying them to another house. He 
followed her until he had burned three houses. It would seem that the 
soldier came otT first best that time. 

Meridian was near the east state line, about one hundred and fifty 
miles from VMcksburg and our communications or base of supplies. When 
the work of destruction at Meridian was done, we received orders to 
march — to where, never concerned the private soldier. The thing for 
him to do was to obe.v orders, let it take him where it would. When he 
had done that, he was a good, faithful soldier, and had done all that was 
expected of him. 

When the army left Meridian, it moved in a north of west direction 
through a pine forest. We surmised we were going back to where we 
started from. The usual amount of skirmishing began, but not serious 
enough to check the progress of the main army. 

There were many unexpected things transpired with such an army — 
some ludicrous, others ugly and serious. In passing a large residence, 
some of our men went to one of the outbuildings, where they found a. 



23 

middle-ag-ed man tied up. When asked what his being tied up meant, 
he replied that the owner of the place was a "conscript agent" of the 
Confederate Government, whose business it was to run down every man 
who was able to bear arms in that country, with bloodhounds, and force 
them into the Confederate Army. He was asked where the agent was. 
The man pointed to a thicket of brush near by. Our soldiers went as 
directed to tne thicket, and found Mr. Agent. He was brought to face his 
prisoner at headquarters. The evidence was such that the agent was 
ordered to be tied to the rear end of one of the government wagons, and 
his prisoner, who had been found tied up, was to guard him with a revol- 
ver for the day. After we had gone into camp, the agent was ordered to 
headquarters for a hearing. When the trial was over, he was placed in 
the charge of an officer and a detail of twelve men, with the order to take 
him to "Dry Tortugas," which meant to his own execution. (Dry Tortu- 
gas is a barren island in the gulf of Mexico.) The evidence showed that 
this agent had brutishly caused many deaths, and that he was to receive 
a stated amount for every man he furnished to the Confederate Govern- 
ment. 

Perhaps, the second day out, as we were passing a residence, the 
air was swarming plentifully with honey bees. They were surely on the 
warpath. Some sweet-toothed fellow had evidently tipped over a gum 
to obtain some honey. The more noise we made, the more attractive they 
became to the soldiers. While the men were reducing this apiary, a 
young woman came out to warn the men to desist from further inter- 
purting the bees, that they would get stung badly, whereon they paid no 
attention to her warning — only laughed at her, saying, "No, they would 
not bite." Then she retorted, "1 hope to God they will sting you to 
death." That prayer did not save the honey, however. 

Perhaps it was the second night out I was detailed to guard prison- 
ers that our Cavalry had captured, amounting to thirty or forty, made 
up of bushwhackers. Some were old men. When I was placed on guard, 
some were crying, fearing they could not keep up next day, then the 
guards would kill them by running bayonets through them. I tried to 
console them by telling them that they should not be hurt while I was 
their guard, also adding, "Tis true, your lives are in the guards' hands as 
helpless prisoneak, but no true gua' d, one worthy of the name, will suffer 
you to be harmed while in custody." 

About a day after we crossed Pearl river, we came to the town of 
Canton, Miss., located on the Mississippi Central railroad, in the richest 
agricultural district I have seen in the state. I suppose the town had one 
thousand inhabitants, possibly more. We captured twenty-two locomo- 
tives and a large amount of rolling stock, which was destroyed in such 
manner that it could never be of any more service to the Confederacy. 
Having eaten all our rations that we had taken with us, it was a case of 
necessity to forage off the enemy, as we were sixty miles from our sup- 
plies with nothing else to subsist on. After burning the railroad bridges, 
we remained there several days. Most of the time it was cold, rainy 
weather. We thought of the snug quarters we had left, but now it was 
out in the open, and had to take what came to us. 

While here at Canton, quite a number of our Regiment, while out 
on a scouting expedition, were captured by a force of Rebels dressed in 
our uniforms. The scouting party were returning to the camp. The 
Rebel force cut them off from the camp by forming across the road they 
were on, and waited there until our men came up real close, when they 
opened fire on them. Our men dismounted and fought them lUitil they 
saw they were overpowered. Our commanding officer told our Uien, for 
every man to look out for himself. Some were killed, some were cap- 
tured, the rest came to us after hiding by day and traveling by night. 

General Sherman sent a courier to Vicksburg for a train of 3upplies 



24 

ur rations to come to our relief, which in an incredible time reached u^. 
An ^nipty haversack is a great misfortune to a soldier. The train of 
commissary rations that came to us was guarded by a Brigade of soldiers, 
which usually was made up of from fifteen hundred to three thousand 
men. This was the only time in my life that getting short of rations 
happened. The chief quartermaster at Vicksburg. when making up the 
supplies for this campaign, fell short one million rations by mistake. 

Rain, rain, Oh, how it did rain! Yet the soldier had no choice. His 
duties were continuous, wet or dry, warm or cold. The work of destroy- 
ing all property that would be of any advantage to our enemy at Canton, 
being completed, we moved on. the Rebel Cavalry ever lurking on our 
flanks. The roads were almost impassable. We marched all day, making 
six miles. It rained about a half of the time that day. We got into camp 
i^ome time after dark. I was detailed to picket duty. Order was to re- 
port to Division headquarters. This guard was from the Division, and was 
about two hundred strong. We left headquarters about 11 o'clock that 
night. I, with two German soldiers, was left out in an open field. These 
men 1 had never seen before nor since. I, being the younger of the three, 
left it to them how we should divide the time, and who should stand the 
first tour. They took the first and second tours, leaving me Jhe third 
tour, which ended at daylight. Our orders were to have no^^KwVgf during 
the night. It was a cold night, a crust was frozen on top of the ground. 
In ni.v efforts to sleep, I lay there with my teeth rattling "to beat the 
band." All the covering I had with me was an oilcloth blanket, which 
ivas alright to keep our ammunition dry. but not to keep out freezing 
temperature, especially when there was nothing between it and the bare, 
wet and freezing ground. The German comrades did not offer to splice 
coverings, whereby we would all have been benefited, nor did I ask them 
to. I suffered more that night from the weather than any other time 
during my service. Why do the old soldiers think so much of the Flag 
of our Country? Because of so much suffering and so much blood shed 
by the truest men that lived at that period. We had that reverence for 
the Flag burned into us during the summer months, froze into us during 
the winter months, and shot into us during the entire year. 

When morning came, those German fello\\s hiked out to help me make 
a fire. There being an old rail fence near by. we soon had about twenty- 
five top rails together and burning and our coffee cans heating. Mean- 
while I was doing my best to get warm, being so near chilled through it 
was almost impossible to get thawed out. My teeth kept rattling until I 
had drunk nearly a quart of boiling hot coffee. While eating our break- 
fast we could see our army moving on the march. With no instructions to 
relieve ourselves, we expected an officer to come and relieve us from this 
post, but none came. I knew it was the day for my Regiment to be rear 
guard of everything, so after finishing my breakfast, having got thor- 
oughly warmed up, I formed a column of my own. and pulled for the ad- 
vance of the army. When I came to the 14th Illinois Regiment, I marched 
with them until about three o'clock, when I stopped for my own Regi- 
ment, knowing that the advance would soon go into camp to let the rear 
catch up. About an hour after dark, my Regiment came along. It was 
so dark I could not tell one man from another by sight, but I knew their 
voices. Our Company, being the color bearers,. I watched for the flag 
staff, which I could see between me and the blue sky. When I stepped 
into my place, a number of men commenced helloing Beck, hello Beck, 
where have you been for so long. For once I did wish they would keep 
still, for their interrogating questions were going to get me into trouble. 
The Regiment marched only a short distance, and camped for the night. 
While fixing a place to sleep that night, my Captain came to me and 
asked where I had been that day. I told him. and he said. "Didn't you 
know it was against orders to be away from your command without per- 



mission?" I said that I did. Then he aslied me if I had permission from 
any of my commanding officers. I replied I had none. He said, "Get your 
supper, then you will go with me to the Colonel; I have to r^eport you." 
In due time he came for me, and took me about half way to the Colonel's 
tent, when he stopped and told me how surprised the Colonel was when 
he had reported me to him, as the Colonel had said to him that he thought 
I was one of the best soldiers he had in the Regiment. Then I told the 
Captain I was on picket the night before, how I had suffered from the 
cold, and had not slept a wink all night, and was not properly relieved 
from the picket post in the morning, and that I knew that a man in my 
condition could march easier in the advance than in the rear. "Well," he 
said, "you go to your quarters; we will say nothing more about it." I have 
always regretted that I did not insist on having an interview with the 
Colonel there and then. I am thoroughly convinced the Colonel would 
have given the Captain a genuine reprimand and dismissed me with his 
blessing when he knew the facts of the case. This was the first and only 
time that I was ever reported to my superior officers while in the U. S. 
service. 

The Rebels kept hovering near us, watching for an opportunity to 
pounce onto an inferior force. Our men were veterans of warfare, never 
fearing when the enemy did their best. 

If the road conditions were favorable, this sized army would move 
about fifteen miles a day. If conditions were very good, they did cor- 
respondingly more. Eighteen or twenty miles would be above the aver- 
age. 

We finally reached our camp at Big Black river, where we had left 
our tents standing thirty-one days before, they having been occupied by 
the 47th Illinois Regiment while we were gone. They readily vacated, 
and we took possession. We had traveled over three hundred miles. The 
main army went on in to Vicksburg, which was twelve miles away. 

Our duties for the next month were light, with the exception of 
picket duty, which was heavy. The 1861 volunteers as Regiments had re- 
enlisted, and were given thirty days' furlough. Most of our Division hav- 
ing veteranized and gone home. General Sherman and his Corps and 
Division Commanders left us for other departments to arrange for the 
spring campaign, which would be on as soon as these veterans returned 
from their furloughs. The 124th had not been in long enough to be 
allowed to re-enlist, the time being two years. These Regiments leaving 
us,' it proved we were never to meet again during the war. Oh, how weJ 
did regret that we could not go with these officers and men who we had 
been with us since arriving at our first camp in Tennessee eighteen months 
before. We had passed through many battles together and all kinds of 
campaigning, and we felt lost without the "old boys," as we called each 
other. 

When they returned from their furloughs and reported for duty, it 
was to report in another field of operation, where they retained the same 
name, known as the 3rd Division of the 17th Army Corps, as they had 
always been known from the beginning. Consequently, under this order 
of things, the 124th Regiment had to send the Excelsior Banner we had 
won in the drill at Vicksburg, to them, as one of the stipulations when 
presented to us was that it always should remain in the 3rd Division. 
This Excelsior Banner was never carried by any other Regiment. 
The Atlanta campaign coming on soon after, before the old Divison had 
time to compete for it. It, with all unnecessary camp property, was 
stored at Nashville, Tenn. So far as is known to this day, this has never 
been heard from since. General Leggett. the old Division commander, 
says in regard to it that he stored it at Nashville on the eve of the Atlanta 
campaign, and that later on, when General Hood (Rebel) threatened 
Nashville, much of the military property was re-stored and lost. At any 



26 

rate it has been lost ever since. General Leggett bought and paid for the 
Banner, and 'twas a natural thing for him to want his own Regiment to 
carry this Banner. Many think it was a shrewd act of his to have the 
124th Regiment detached from the 3rd Division, so that by another con- 
test his Regiment, the 78th Ohio, would be more fortunate than at the 
first contest, and win it. 

Our march to Meridian, Miss., was the forerunner of what is known 
as the "ATLANTA CAMPAIGN," by destroying so much railroad property 
that would be used in supplying the Rebel armies further east, as the 
southwest was the granary of the Confedracy, and Texas was their main 
source of supplies of beef and transporting their troops and war material 
o fall kinds. This destruction was incalcuable. 

In the first week of April, 18 6 4, we were ordered to go to Vicksburg 
to do patrol and picket duty in the city. This provost duty was far from 
being a matter of choice or pleasant miltiary duty. We came in daily 
contact with the riff-raff of the city — the toughs, the off-scourings of the 
human race of both sexes. Gambling resorts were open, and crimes of 
every conceivable nature known were being committed. The heavy de- 
tails for this duty soon counted fast on our small Regiment, which in the 
eighteen months of service had been reduced from ten hundred to less 
than three hundred. 

The necessary arrangements were made to send home a representa- 
tive from each Company for recruits. This resulted very well for all the 
different Companies. There were added to the Regiment more than one 
hundred. Quite a number of ex-Confederate soldiers enlisted, and proved 
to be faithful soldiers to the end of the war. 

As the season advanced into summer, there was more sickness. 
The army life demonstrated very forcibly that for size to withstand hard 
service, the men being sound to begin with, whose weight was from one 
hundrd and/vtwenty-five to one hundred and sixty pounds, would endure 
for a lon&^erm of fatigue and hard service much more than the larger 
men. I noticed this so plainly in my own Company when or before our 
time expired. The large men had been weeded out. With most of our 
big fellows, w^hen they got sick, it proved fatal or disabled them perman- 
ently. 

Our Regimental mail carrier went daily to the city postoffice for our 
mail. Before going, he would pass by the head of each Company and 
collected any mail matter that was ready to be posted, and posted it at 
the office, so our postal system was quite systematized. We had no con- 
cern or worry if we w'ere short on postage stamps, for the law was such 
that a soldier could take his letter to a commissioned officer, who had 
the right to "frank" it. This would insure its safe delivery, and was a 
great convenience to the soldiers, as we we e not supposed to be where 
we could procure postage stamps. 

As all transportation and communication with the north was done 
on steamboats, we soon learned by tl.e sound of a boat whistle comin.i: 
down the river, when it would whistle for a landing, whether it had mail 
on it or not. How the soldiers would scream, "Fall in for your mail!" 
The letters from friends at home had a wonderful effect on the faithful- 
ness of the private soldier, and all members of the army for that matter. 
These letters were always so encouraging. 

The great Sanitary Commission was active in relieving the sick and 
^wounded soldiers, and providing reading rooms in cities of the south 
-be fed, for Uncle Sam had declared them free. The negro men whoj 
-where our forces were in possession, and sending delicacies to the hos- 
pitals for the sick and wounded, which the Government did not provide. 
We all said, "God bless the loyal women and the United States Christian 
Commission." I often visited the reading rooms at Vicksburg. 

^Thousands and thousands of negroes came to Vicksburg. who had to 









•ould pass the examination to enlist, became Federal soldiers. ManV 
thousand enlisted. These had to be officered by white soldiers — privates 
taken from Regiments. All commissioned officers, such as Lieutenants, 
Captains, Majors, Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels, were white men, and 
all non-commissioned officers were colored. It was a great opportunity 
for those who wanted to avail themselves of those associations. There 
were twelve to fifteen of my Company who were tjius promoted to com- 
missions. I did not aspire to that kind of noto,jitty. I sanctioned the 
measure with all my power. Let Mr. Negro help to obtain his freedom. 
If he was good enough or man enough to stand up between me and a 
Rebel bullet, he had my consent. 

If the negro filled these conditions satisfactorily, he was entitled to 
all the rights of an American citizen. These colored troops were used 
mostly for garrison duty, and were mostly assigned to Heavy Artillery 
Regiments, yet they were armed with muskets the same as Infantr.v, and 
could do the duty of either branch of service if necessary. 

For every command of colored troops, it let a command of white 
soldiers free to be used in the field or on campiagn service. 

The Southern Confederacy used these negroes as long as they could 
in building their fortifications. When the Federal Government turned 
the table on them by utilizing the colored race, it was a long and vital 
stroke toward the termination of the great Civil War. 

On May 2nd we moved our camp. We had just succeeded in making 
ourselves comfortable when we received marching orders, and on the 
4th of May we were otT on what proved to be an eighteen-day scout. 
We found ourselves with the 11th Illinois and the 7 2nd Illinois, Colonel 
Coates Brigade Commander and General McArthur in command of the 
expedition. The weather was hot and the roads dusty. We made twenty- 
two miles the first day, which was very hard on the men. The next da.v 
we started at daylight, making twenty-five miles that day. We were 
played and sung to sleep by a Rebel's daughter performing on a piano. 
Her principal tune was The Bonnie Blue Flag. On May 6th we marched 
seventeen miles. The principal feature of the day was the capture of a 
squad of Rebels. As there had never been any Yankees in this part of 
the country before, chickens were plenty in camp that night. We were 
off at four o'clock on the morning of May 7th. Soon we heard cannonad- 
ing in front. We were ordered to load Our guns, and were soon thrown 
into line of battle. Skirmishers were sent out, and the enemy fell back. 
We had two men killed. The Rebels left two men killed on the field, 
whom we buried, We captured a courier with dispatches from General 
Lee. 

We remained here a few days while our Cavalry was busy scouting. 
On the second day 1 took a tramp into the woods adjoining our camp. 
Went out beyond our picket and came out into a road. I concluded had 
gone far enough for my safety. In going back to th-e camp, at a turn 
of the road I came upon the complete outfit of a Rebel Cavalryman — 
saddle, haversack and canteen. I picked it up, as thought it quite a prize 
for the boys to see, there being such a contrast in it and what our Gov- 
ernment furnished us. I soon came to a picket guard, who said, "What 
is that you have got, and where did you get it?" and I told him. He said. 
"Well, I shot at a Rebel Cavalryman just a few minutes ago." The truth 
of it was, at the crack of the man's gun, the horse wheeled and broke the 
girth and dropped his mount where I found it. 1 took it to camp, and 
kept the wooden canteen until the close of the war as a souvenir of the 
Rebellion. It was made out of cedar wood, and when filled, the water 
kept cool longer than in the metal ones. 

This incident brought about a little later on a funny experience to 
us. but not to the other fellow. After I had told the story about these 
Rebel goods, a Captain of our Regiment obtained permission to take a 



28 

l)ody of men and skirmish through the timber where I had been. He 
asked for volunteers to go, and about fifteen or twenty of us volunteered. 
We deployed as skirmishers. 1 was on the extereme left of line. Off we 
went, expecting to find Rebels a plenty, but after going about a half mile 
through the timber, we came to a fence, on the opposite of which was a 
very large open field. Obliquely across this field sat three Rebels on 
their horses. To the left of them sat a lone videt picket on a mule. I 
told the Captain I would take the lone man. The rest fired at the three 
to the right. I elevated my gun above his head at a dead rest on the top 
of the fence. At the crack of the gun the fun commenced — for us. The 
fellow wheeled his mule to the rear; I shouted, "See him go!" The poor 
fellow, the way he did play "jubba" with his heels to that mule was a 
caution. The four men lived to tell the story so far as our marksmanship 
went. The man that I shot at, by the exertions he put forth, demon- 
strated the fact that he realized that he was close to danger. They went 
to the rear to an outbuilding. After we got through with our sport, we 
returned to camp and reported where our affrighted men were. A twelve- 
pound gun, loaded with a percussion shell, was trained on the gable end of 
the house and fired. It was a center shot. When the shell struck the 
building, it exploded. It was fun to watch those fellows "hike" away as 
fast as their horses would take them. My, my, how they did go! The 
fun was all one-sided that day. 

The Rebel force that was about us belonged to Wirt Adams' com- 
mand. Being mounted, we could not get close enough to give battle. 

We marched to Yazoo City, quite a town, located on the Yazoo river, 
one hundred miles from Vicksburg. I saw here a sawmill plant that had 
been burned two years before, and the sawdust was still burning. From 
here we went back to Vicksburg, arrived at our camp May 21st, having 
accomplished very little on this campaign. The next few weeks nothing 
transpired worthy of mention. We were on picket daily, and did some 
fatigue duty. On June 2 4th I went to see a military execution. A negro 
soldier had shot his wife, and was shot in the presence of a vast concourse 
of people. He seemed to think it an immense joke to the last, and was 
shot sitting in his coffin. He was pierced with five bullets, and expired 
almost instantly. This was the first execution I had witnessed and the 
last. It was too dreadful to describe. A few days later there was an- 
other execution near us. Three negro soldiers had mutinied and were 
shot. My brother witnessed this execution. The parties were a Sergeant 
and two privates. At the crack of the guns they all fell, gut the Sergeant 
would have gotten up, but the officer commanding the firing party v.ent 
forward and killed him with his revolver. As far as 1 knew, this ended 
mutinying among the negroes. 

On the anniversary of our being in the slaughter-pen in Fort I-' ill. 
in front of Vicksburg, on the 26th of June, 1863, our Colonel issued 
and address oh June 26, 1864 which was as follows: 

"Headquarters of 124th Ills. Infantry, 

Vicksburg, Miss., June 2 6, 1864. 
Officers and Soldiers: 

I deem it fit and proper to make note and mention that this is the 
anniversary of a day never to be forgotten by you — a day which will 
live in history and of which you may well be proud, the day of the as- 
sault by you upon Fort Hill, the bulwark of the defence of Vicksburg. 
Consecrated by the blood of your heroic comrades who nobly fell in that 
deadly contest of fire and blood, as well as by the steady, dauntless valor 
of all engaged, it has shed untarnished and enduring lustie upon your 
fame and powers as American soldiers. 

Cherishing the memory of our fallen brothers, emulating their pat- 
riotic devotions to the cause of freedom and good government, let us strive 
lo maintain the reputation you this day won, and by the blessing of Him 



29 

who rules the destinies of Nations, may its next return witness the final 
overthrow of a wicked and causeless rebellion, the complete restoration of 
the government over all the land, and a glorious and honorable peace, 
nobly and honorably won. 

J. H. HOWE. 
Lieut. Col. Commanding." 

On July 1, 1864 we were under marching orders, this time com- 
manded by Major General Slocum, a fine, cool, and competent officer. 
Our number was about two thousand muskets and one or two field bat- 
teries and a train of wagons about one hundred in number — enough 
wagons for ten times as many men for it took nearly half of the men to 
guard the train. This expedition went to Jackson, Miss. As soon as we 
crossed Black river we found the enemy and the farther we went the more 
trouble they gave us. The heat of those July days was almost unen- 
durable. Many of our men were overcome from the heat. The enem.v 
made a stand saying to us that we had gone as far as we were going to. 
We met the cavalry boys going to the rear saying to us, "They are over 
there sho." To this our men would reply with all kinds of gibes. 

The Infantry formed in line of battle. "Forward" was the order. 
We moved through a dense thicket which was almost impossible to get 
through. When we got through and formed again at the edge of a field 
w»e could see the glimmer of the Rebel artillery about thirty rods in our 
front. There was a swell of the ground midway between them and us, 
so when their artillery was playing on us, to clear this swell the shells 
would go above our heads, tearing the limbs of the trees, sending conster- 
nation to some, and bursting shells seeking whom they might devour. 
The Rebels sent their shells as fast as their guns would permit; they 
would soon become so hot they would have to let them cool off. Among 
the comical events of the hour was a big "nigger" who was dressed 
with a long linen duster on. He surmised that the Rebels were shoot- 
ing at him, paying their respects to him direct and he would hide be- 
hind a big tree, then between shots would run to another tree for safety. 
The shells kept trimming the branches of the trees so close to him that 
he got out from beneath the trees and into an open place and laid flat 
on the ground on his stomach. Soon a shell was sent near him and 
bursted. That was to much for Sambo. He took it for granted that 
meant for him to get to the i ear. He "beat it" leaving only a white 
streak behind him. Don't think he wore the white duster after that days 
experience. 

These comical events were calculated for the time to take our minds 
off our own serious surroundings, for we were in just as much or more 
danger of being hurt than Sambo was. 

This fusilade was kept up for some time. Our Colonel seeing to left 
face his Regt. and a short space movement would take us out of this 
exposure, ordered us to make this move. While executing this order 
a solid shot passed through our ranks immediately in front of me miss- 
ing me only a few inches. It struck beneath Seargeant Griffith's foot 
(he was in Company I) and crippled him for life. 1 heard this shot 
coming and I felt it would hit me, and was relieved to know it did not. 
If it had struck me no doubt it would have cut me in two. 

You may want to know where Sambo got his linen duster. The 
government never issued it to him we know. No doubt he found it some 
where and appropriated it. I saw this man Griffith some twenty-five 
years after this. He was a seriously crippled man. He told me the Govern- 
ment was giving him twenty-four dollars a month pension. 

Gen. Slocum intended for us to charge this force across the field, 
but changed his plan as the Rebels had as much Infantre back of the 
artillery as there were of us. We were ordered out of this place to the 
rear a short distance, then by the left flank as we were moving we 



30 

could see the Rebels moving in the same direction that we w6re, perhaps 
three-fourths of a mile from us. We went on into the city of Jackson 
without any more fighting and destroyed much public property. 

The day we went into Jackson the heat was almost unendurable 
by man or beast. Once I remembered we went into the shade of a grove 
to rest and there were only five guns to stack in my Company. The 
others had given out, sunstruck, had failed to keep up. They came on 
later. We remained here one day, leaving the city in the P. M. We had 
got out on the Vicksburg road about three miles, when to our right front 
we could see this same Rebel foi-ce marching to get possession of the 
road we were on which they would have done had we stayed in the city 
an hour longer. In a few minutes the battle was on. It seams the Rebels 
had received a Brigade of reinforcements by rail and was now prepared 
to clean us up according to their strength. We fought them until the 
darkness put a stop to it. The next morning the battle opened up with a 
brisk firing. 

The immense train hampered us very much. Our Colonel was 
ordered to move out and on the Vicksburg road and open it so as to get 
the train in front of the army which he did. We found no Rebel forces 
on the road so the train was put in front. Col. Howe had ordered to 
take that train to Vicksbu'g or to the hot place. 

Wliile the train was passing and getting in front, we were resting 
on a high knoll where we could see both armies in battle only about a 
mile away. While this train was going over this high knoll in plain view 
of the Rebels a Rebel battery trained their guns on us and the struggling 
wagon train. It was a laughable sight to watch those teamsters and 
African refuges crossing this e.xposed place of about one hundred and 
fifty yards with their black snake whips popping and the teamsters say- 
ing "good mules, please come on, do hurry, now come on." When out 
of danger of those solid shots their persusaive language sudd.snly changed 
to one they understood. In passing this entire train that Rebel gun 
killed only one span of mules which stopped one wagon. The Colonel 
placed seven Companies in front and five in the rear, two Companies of 
which number were loaned from another Regiment. 

As soon as the train got a suitable distance on toward Vicksburg, 
Gen. Slocum had his army to fall back leaving the wounded to become 
prisoners— the dead .ijor the Rebels to bury. This was the first battle 
and the last where our Regt. was enaged that this happened, that we 
could not bury our own dead. Near the town of Clinton, Gen. Slocum 
massed his artillery, supported it with his infantry. On came the Rebels 
stimulated with whisky and gunpowder charging our batteries like 
demons, our boys mowing them down as they continued to advance. Our 
forces did not succeed in stopping them until they were within a few 
paces of our guns, then only with double shotted sannister putting an 
end to that battle. Gen. Slocum sent in a flag of truce arranging that 
the Rebels would properly care for the wounded and bury the dead, etc. 
Meantime had sent courier* through to Vicksburg for reinforcemejits; a 
force of cavalry to be sent immediately to him which hesoon got. Slocum 
then turned and went to Jackson, IMiss., and whipped the Rebels to a 
frazzel. The.v did not want to fight Gen. Slocum any more. 

With this cavarly force after arriving at Jackson Gen. Slocum turned 
south and came out at Baton Rouge. There took boats and came back 
to Vicksburg making a raid of several hundred miles. We took the 
train through safely to Vicksburg. It was always a mystery to us of low 
degree why they ever took such a train with only two thousand men, 
unless some one imagined they could load the wagons with cotton. Cotton 
would bring near a dollar a pound at that time. The soldier knew too 
well how to burn cotton for any one to enter into that kind of business. 
Had those wagons been loaded with cotton, they would have gone up in 



31 

smoke long before they reached Vicksburg. ' Those lives that expedition 
cost were offered for a principle, and not to be sacrificed for a niometary 
gain or proposition. 

We were out nine days from camp, and marched a distance of one 
hundred miles. The heat punished our men more than the Rebels did. 
We resumed our picket duty, which was nearly every day, as so many 
men were ailing from excessive heat during the days, and cool nights. 
We lost some of our best men from sickness. Our Company, too, was 
visited by the "grim monster— death." 

The next ripple of excitement that came to us was the Presidential 
election. The enthusiasm ran high. We as Illinois soldiers could not 
vote for President unless we were within the boundary line of the State 
of Illinois, while the sister states allowed their soldiers to vote as free as 
if they were at their own homes. You may wonder why this was so. The 
Illinois Legislature refused to pass on an act allowing her soldiers this 
right for the reason that a majority of that Legislature was in sympathy 
.with the south, known in politics as members of the Democratic party. 
All Democrats were not disloyal to the Governm>ent, but all Rebels voted 
the Democratic ticket, or were Democrats. This act was a burning stigma 
on the State of Illinois and a disloyal act to her soldiers. 

At a vote taken in the 12 4th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, th-e Excel- 
sior Regiment of the old 3rd Division, 17th Army Corps, and a Regiment 
which presented one of the finest organizations of Illinois troops, the 
following was the results: 

Whole number of votes cast 516 

For Abraham Lincoln 502 

For George B. McClellan 14 

George B. McClellan declared in his letter of acceptance of the nom- 
ination as candidate for President, that after four years of internecine 
war it had proved a failure.. As near as we could judge, he as leader of 
the Eastern Army was decidedly a failure. The other candidate stood 
for prosecuting the war until every armed traitor was willing to submit 
to the authority of the United States Government, treason forever stamped 
out, "one country, one language, one flag." We were proud of the results 
of the straw vote of our Regiment. 

The last of July, 1864, General N. T. J. Dana relieved General Slocum, 
who left us for Sherman's army. We jogged alons^/iloing our share of 
picket duty. The Marine Cavalry was disiy9>*.*<*fri«^he men were made 
Infantrymen. They made some trouble about it, but it did not last long. 
The Marine Brigade was placed within the fortification of the 5th U. S. 
Cavalry Regiment. Ever and anon there were rumors that Vicksburg 
would be attacked for the benefit of those soldiers within the fortifica- 
tions. The city at this time was so strongly fortified that a few thousand 
soldiers could have held the place against the whole Confederate army. 
The Rebels knew this, and had no inclination to attack this point. 

After a few days of rumors that we we, e going to receive marching 
orders, they came for a fact. We left camp late in the evening, were 
marched to the wharf, and on to a stern-wheeler steamboat, the "SHE- 
NANfltO." bound up the river. In due time we arrived at the mouth of 
the WlTite river, Arkansas. We seemed to be alone from Vicksburg. We 
disembarked, and were soon ordered aboard a White river boat, supposed 
to be bound up the White river somewhere to the interior of Arkansas. 
Before we got started, a boat came down the Mississippi river as fast as 
a tremendous head of steam could push her. A scare was on at Mem- 
phis, Tenn. Forest's {;ommand was expected to capture the city unless 
more troops were immediately sent to the rescue. Our Regiment and 
one other Regiment were ordered aboard this steamer, and away we went 
up to rescue Memphis. By the time we got there, the scare was over for 
the time. We went ashore and on into Fort Pickering. Were quartered 




32 

in some box cars, and were sent out b^eyond the city a tew miles to pro- 
tect some wood-choppers, then returned to the Fort in the evening 
Another scare developed, and we w-ere routed out, but it proved to be a 
false alarm. Our next orders were to report at the mouth of the White 
river, Arkansas, which we did, going down on the steamer "MAGENTA." 
When we reached this point and reported at headquarters, were ordered 
to proceed to.Vicksburg. Arrived there in the middle of the night. We 
disembarked ^nd marched to our old quarters in mud shoe-mouth deep. 
Distance traveled was eight hundred miles. 

The mail that accumulated for us was eagerly read. After fixing up 
and resting one day, we were sent into the city, and relieved the 72nd 
Illinois Regiment, who had been doing provost duty for some time. The 
5 8th Ohio Regiment of Infantry were our associates in this provost duty, 
which we passed together very pleasantly for four months, relieving each 
other every alternate morning. In that way we had a day on and a day 
off duty continuously for the whole of both Regiments. Most of our 
Regiment disliked this kind of duty. We were stationed in the jails, 
refugees' quarters, steamboat landings, wood yards, stables, theatres, and 
to hover around drinking holes, gambling dens and brothels. We had to 
become posted in all the iniquity of the city, patrol all the streets, and 
come in contact with all its V/^Hianies, and such a life can be but demor- 
alizing to the average soldier. Had we been permitted to choose, there 
were but few of our number but who would have gladly gone to the 
front, despite its perils. 

While we doing picket duty, there was a call for a detail from our 
Regiment to guard a squad of deserters and conscripts to New Orleans. 
It fell to me to be one of the detail to go. We were gone about ten days. 
Nothing of importance transpired on that trip. We delivered the men 
into safe hands. Had to wait for the boat to unload and then take a cargo 
of freight. We were there some three days. This was a very enjoyable trip 
o those who had never seen the lower Mississippi river. It is surely 
named "The Father of Waters." One who has never seen it can not real- 
ze its magnitude, for it is immense and then some. Only for the great 
levees on each side to keep it within bounds, it would be miles and miles 
wide. The surface of the river is much higher than the surface of the 
land back of these levees, so the river looks as if it flowed along on a 
ridge. We could see for miles beyond the levees. The farmers were busy 
at work by the hundreds, on their plantations. Through the sugar-cane 
district, the people claimed foreign protection, which was granted or re- 
spected. At these refyfdences one could see the foreign flag noisted. 

An incident occurred to me one day as we were nearing New Or- 
leans. I spied an alligator lying in the river undisturbed, perhaps thirty 
rods from the boat. I could not let the opportunity go by. I grabbed up 
my rifle and gave him one round. I made a good line shot. The animal 
was farther from me than he looked to be and I hit the river, that was 
all. I was up on the hurricane deck when I fired. The officer came up 
from below very much excited, supposing we had been attacked by the 
guerrillas. He was pointed out the cause of the alarm, and told me not to 
repeat it, saying "I would have been tempted to have done the same 
thing myself." This officer was not a Regular Army man, or I would have 
received punishment for this breach of liberty. 

On our return to Vicksbuig, while in this foreign-protecced district, 
the boat landed on the east shore at a wood-landing. I watched the boat 
clerk measuring several cords of wood to be taken on. . Thinks I, they 
will be quite a while putting on all that wood he has measured, and now 
is my time to go ashore and get some vegetables or milk, and take a short 
scout. I had wandered about fifty rods away from the boat when the 
bell began to ring. Knowing what that meant, 1 put forth all my ener- 
gies to get to the boat. The bell kept ringing while I was makfng all 



3.3 

possible speed to reach the boat. When I did arrive at the boat-landing 
there was just a foot plank left for me to get into tiu^ boat. The t.tages 
had been pulled in. The pilot told nie afterwards that ho saw uio wnen 
he first began ringing the bell; if he had not, I would have been left sare. 
1 was frightened in thinking it over — -whatever would have become of me 
no mortal man could ever have told. 1 would have been reported as a 
deserter or drowned. Soon the boat landed ^n the west side of river for 
wood. They took on there the supply they failed to takefln wrhere they 
scared me so bad. At this landing there were plenty of large watermelons 
for sale. I bought a twenty-pounder, and had the pleasure of sharing it 
with the pilot who rang the bell so long. While we were eating the melon 
he told me that the Captain of the boat ordered him several times to back 
out. While he took the chances of straining his relations as an employee, 
it was to satisfy my earnest desires and immense speed not to be left in 
a foreign nation. I never knew why they did not take on the vmod I saw 
the clerk measuring off. pZX-*'^ 

In due time we arrived at Vicksburg ready for some experience. 
Within a short period an order came to the 12 4th Regiment for a detail 
of men to be sent to district headquarters for guard duty, consisting of 
nine privates, three non-commissioned officers, two Corporals and one 
Sergeant. These men were selected from their soldierly appearance, 
G-eneral Dana being a West Point man. "How-some-ever as lightning 
never strikes twice in the same place," I was hit. I and one other private 
and one Corporal we:e detjuled to go from my Company. When this 
Seargent reported this detai^nen at headquarters, he was shown what we 
were wanted for. One guarO was placed in front of the General's head- 
quarters to walk a beat. He had to salute every commissioned officer who 
went in or out of those headquarters. The second guard was placed in 
front of his Asst. Adj. General's office, across the street from the General's 
where the duties were similar to those of guard No. 1. The third guard 
was stationed at the headquarters horses' stables to guard all Government 
property — horses and feed of all kinds — but did not have to walk a beat. 
These duties lasted through the night as well as the day. We were on 
duty every third day, then would be off two days. 

Our orders were to salute all officers according to rank, also ordered 
that if the officer did not return the salute, he should be halted and made 
to salute, or turn him back. You may depend upon it that those orders 
were strictly enforced. Some of the staff officers put on a vast amount of 
dress and pomp, as if they owned that part of the earth. I tell you we 
got a whole lot of satisfaction when the opportunity came to us to make 
those swell head "mark time" until some officer would pass them into 
headquarters. A true and faithful soldier will obe.v his orders whether 
they seemeth to him right or wrong; his paramount duty was to obey his 
superior officers. 

This detail at headquarters lasted several months. During this time 
my company was entitled to two more non-commissioned officers. My 
orderly seargeant came tome and told me what they were going to do, and 
urged me to go to the Company; that if I would I should be so honored 
No, I reasoned this way: If I should return to the Company' some of 
them would say I came back for no other purpose, only for the office. 
He said to me, "You have earned it by your faithfulness as a soldier, your 
honesty and integrity as a man; that no man in the Company had an 
equal record." After due deliberation, I said to him, "If I were ordered 
back to our command tomorrow, for we are liable to be any hour of the 
day, I don't want promotion. I have only done my duty as an ordinary 
soldier should do. I won't go; appoint whom you please. I will finish as 
a private soldier." 

Near as I can remember, about the first of December. 1S64. while ou 
detail at headquarters, my health began to fail — the longer, the faster. 



34 

1 reported to the post surgeon, who prescribed for me. His medicine did 
not seem to do me any good. After some time lie (the surgeon) asked 
me, "Why don't you apply for a furlough and go home?" 1 did not sup- 
pose it was worth while. He said, "1 can't do you any good, nor any one 
else here. You have your Captain fill out an application for one and 
sign it and bring it to me; I will sign it. Then you will have to take it 
to your Regimental surgeon for his signature." I did as he suggested, 
and w-ent to my Regimental surgeon for his signature. He looked it over, 
then examined me and said, "I wont sign it." His wife, sitting by him, 
began to intercede for me, saying, "Let the poor boy go home." He said 
his instructions in signing an application for furlough were to save life 
or permanent disability, and that he could not do that in my case." My 
health became such that I could not do duty excepting at the stable, where 
I was allowed to sit down. I grew worse and worse. The post surgeon 
did abuse the doctor for not signing my application. It would be s.howing 
against his reputation as a skillful surgeon was his reason for not signing 
it, was the post surgeon's version of the matter. By an order from the 
post surgeon, I was sent to Hospital No. 1, a tented hospital, about the 
first of February, 1865. Here I became much worse, lingering along 
several weeks more dead than alive. 

On February 2 5th my Regiment was ordered to go to New Orleans. 
The Regimental surgeon came to see me, and, after examining me, said, 
"Do you think a furlough would help you?" I replied that I did not 
know; that I had grown no better at the hospital. He said, "I will see 
what can be done. Will talk to the hospital surgeon, and will recom- 
mend a furlough in your case." This was the last time 1 saw Dr. Kay 
(that was the Regimental doctor's name). 

In the meantime District headquarters had been moved from Vicks- 
burg to Memphfs, Tenn., and all men on detached duty who were able for 
duty were ordered back to the Regira-ent. Many of my Company came to 
see me in the hospital before leaving Vicksburg. They told me afterward 
they never expected to see me again. 

It seemed while there in the hospital my turn would come soon, as 
the sick were being dressed daily with a wooden overcoat, passing on to 
the great and silent world from whence no traveler ever returns. Several 
times while here very sick the deatli angel came within the walls of my 
tent and took a comrade from my side. These occasional visitations were 
not calculated to be of hopeful signs of good cheer to one who was entire- 
ly amongst strangers. Among the many hundreds of the sick of this hos- 
pital, there was not a single soldier that I had ever seen before. 

My life for many weeks seemed to be hanging by a mere thread. 
Why it was not broken, God only knows. Not a living soul I had known 
was left me; duty had called them elsewhere. Then it came to me one 
day: I win live if possible to see and know the final results of this 
mighty strife. 

Our armies were being more successful; were fast pushing the enemy 
into the last ditch they had boasted somu ch about in former days, only 
we were the fellows who were to go into the ditch accordng to their boast- 
ings. The end was not far away. General Grat was drawing his grip more 
firmly about General Lee's discouraged troops. General Sherman had 
severed the Confederacy in twain by his irresistable "March to the Sea," 
beginning at Chattanooga and ending at Savannah, Georgia. General 
Thomas had completely annihilated General Hood's army at Nashville. 
Tenn. These encouraging news came to us as an inspiration to want to 
live on to the close. The marching and counter-marching and all the 
details of military life would soon be over with. 

At this date, February, 1865, the only fortified place in the west 
that had not been taken by the Union army was Mobile, Alabama. General 
Can by was organizing an army to attack it at as early a date as possible. 



3r, 

while the other Union arraiee were making it a busy time for the Con- 
federate armies elsewhere. For this purpose my Regiment was ordered 
into the Department of the Gulf, to go to Mobile. 

The surgeon of the hospital had sent a batch of thirty fjirloughs 
to headquarters at Memphis for the Commander's approval, but wer< 
returned without his signature. A few days after this, a steamboat cam- 
to Viclvsburg as a hospital boat to take, as was supposed, the siclt to 
northern hospitals. At least these same thirty whose furloughs had been 
returned not signed were ordered to be placed on this hospital boat, and 
were put aboard and quartered tliere for three days. During these three 
days there came from the interior of tlae country over two thousand 
prisoners, of our men, from Cahaba and Andersonville prisons. These 
men had crawled much of the distance. Such sights 1 never expect nor 
do I desire to witness again. They were simply indescribable — poor, 
emaciated, black from the pitch-pine smoke, ragged, not sufficient cloth- 
ing to cover their nakedness. I do not think that any loving mother 
would have known her own son. Many died while near the "OI^D FI.AG" 
that they had endured so much for. The condition of these men that I 
there beheld will never be effaced from my memory. 

There not being room enough for these prisoners and the squad of 
thirty sick soldiers, that I belonged to, on that boat, the sick were sent 
back to the hospital. I was so glad ta go back so as to make room for 
those poor men. The first move made when these prisoners were marched 
onto the boat was to strip them and scrub them, then cut their hair short 
to g'et rid of the vermin. Clean clothes were furnished them, then they 
were taken to a cot, where they were to remain until they got as far 
north as this boat would take them, which, perhaps, was St. Louis, Mo. 

These men could now communicate with wives, parents and loving 
friends for the first time in months and months. What a happy lot of men, 
and to know that they were under the protecting folds of the Flag of our 
Country! They would sing, they would cheer, they would shout for joy. 
Their joy was unbounded. A percent of this band of men became de- 
mented. They would be calling or repeating over and over the names of 
loved friends they had left at home — a mother, a wife, loving friends, an 
Ann or Lucy or Elizabeth or Julia or some pet name. I could not but 
weep as the sound came ringing in mine ears then, nor can I restrain the 
tears as I chronicle these lines. I was indeed glad to vacate my cot for 
one of these poor fellows, and we thirty were taken from whence we 
camOi The name of the boat was "SULTANA." . 

In the course of a few days this boat load of men was declared read <r 
to start with its precious load of freight — something over two thousand 
ex-prisoners of war. All went well until after they had passed Memphis. 
Tenn., when, with an awful explosion in the night, the Sultana was blown 
up, and those men, who at that time were dreaming of home and loved 
ones, were hurled into the bosom of the "Father of Waters." Some of 
them were scalded to death, hundreds were drowned. Out of the 22 
hundred, only a fraction over seven hundred survived that catastrophe. 
It was the most terrible calamity that happened during the war that I 
know of. Those men had experienced almost everything but death, and 
to be sent to a watery grave amidst such brilliant hopes was heart-rend- 
ing. It would seem that it was an over-ruling Providence that we were 
sent back to the hospital. 

This catastrophe happened in March, ISGH. Soon after this, the 
thirty furloughs were sent to District headquarters at Memphis, com- 
manded by C. C. Washburn. They were approved, and in due time came 
to us with his signature attached. We thirty were soon prepared to go 
to the wharf to start on our homeward journey. Xothing unusual hap- 
•pened to our boat until we were witliin ten' miles of St. Louis, when a 
steam pipe in the engine bursted and almost instantly filled the room 



36 

where the sick were lying, with steam. The pilot turned the boat straight 
for the shore. We were immediately put ashore. Near by was a railroad 
depot, where I went and got a train for St. Louis. The name of the boat 
we left was "IMOLLIE ABEL." Soon after we arrived in St. Louis, this 
boat came steaming into port. 

I was transferred from the depot to an upper Mississippi river boat 
which took me within six miles of my home. I went to a hotel for the 
night. Next mo'rning I took the daily stag^e that carried the mail to the 
county seat from Grafton. 

I arrived at home about ten a. m., where both of my parents were, 
and greatly rejoiced to see me and I thankful to be at home. My mother 
was distressed to see me looking so frail, but when I related to her how 
much worse I had been than I was then, she took fresh courage. My 
father sent to Jerseyville for the family physician to come to see me and 
prescribe for my ailments. He gave them encouragement, told them it 
would take some time with careful nursing, what I would be allowed to 
eat and what not to eat, and that 1 would soon be convalescing. This 
was about the 2 0th of April. 

A few days after leaving Vicksburg, we met the news of the assassin- 
ation of President Lincoln. Words could not express our sorrow. What 
a gloom was cast over the entire nation! The loss was irreparable. 
What would be the outcome of this all manner of fears and doubts were 
expressed everywhere. The nation was in great sorrow — the deepest sor- 
row. The great President had been shot, his life put out by a fanatic, 
and he was the best friend those lebellious people had on earth. How 
the nation was stirred! It looked for a time that law and popular gov- 
ernment was at an end. 

It is beyond comprehension for an intelligent person to realize the 
shameless ignorance of a la" ge percent of those southern white people. 
To illustrate in a small way, I quote a conversation our Chaplain had 
with a southern woman. "So, Chaplain, you really think this war is near 
its end and no more bloodshed?" "Yes, madam, there may be a little 
skirmishing beyond the Mississippi river." "Do you think the norf and 
south will come together in peace and love each other?" "Yes, I think- 
so." "Bless de Lord, husband, do you hear that? Bless de Lord. Oh, 
my heart is glad! I never expected to hear such words. Gals, do .vou hea^- 
dat? Bless de Lord. Do you think we can go up norf and take papers 
and all such things like we used to?" "Yes, madam, I do believe that 
not only is the war over, but very soon its bitte ness and enmities and 
ruptures in social and business relations will be past, and we shall come 
closer together from Maine to Texas." And then she arose from her chair, 
and striking an attitude of over-mastering joy, raised her clasped hands 
towards heaven and cried out, "Oh, my soul, bless de Lord! I will praise 
Him. Do you hear what the Chaplain says? Do you hear it? And then 
— (and the climax was evidentl.v coming, for she was almost wild with 
joy) — and then I can get some more .laynesses pills. I haven't had any 
lor two years. I laid n for two years at the beginning of the war, Chap- 
lain, but we have been out for two years. Now I can get some more. Oli. 
bless de Lord." And she sank back in her chair, exhausted, with her 
hands upon her face, sobbing bless de Lord. The Chaplain bade the 
family good bye, and took his departure, musing on the depth and quality 
of southern Union sentiment. 

Another ridiculous case is given, and is truthfully authenticated: 
The fact was being urged by one of the Rebel soldiers that we were not 
Yankees, but western men. They could whip five Yankees. Robert Lee 
had uniformly done so and they could. This was often presented b.v the 
defeated Rebels in the southwest as an apology for their failures, and our 
boys had as often wished to take some of this lingering conceit out of them 
■some way if possible. So oVi this occasion one of the boys said, "I'm a 



37 

Yankee." "Be ye?" said Johnnie; "one of the regular kind?" "Yis," 
said our Yankee, adopting the twang, "Yis, I s'pose I be." "Well, thare, 
on-e of them wooden nutmeg kind?" Yis I s'pose I be." "Well, thar, now 
do you think you can fool me on one them things? Mebbe you never made 
any yourself." "Yis, 1 s'pose I have." "Well, how do you do it? .Just 
whittle them right out?" "Yis , that's all. It's nothing when you get the 
hang of it." "Well, I say, you haint got one about ye, have ye. Mister? 
You couldn't fool me with one of 'em no how, but I'd jest like to see 
one of them things, to see how it looks." Our Yankee designedly had a 
nutmeg in his pocket, which he readily handed to Johnnie as the last 
specimen of his jack-knife manufacture. Johnnie took it, smelled it. 
whittled it, tasted of it with the utmost painstaking, and at last returned 
it, syaing, "I be durned if I can tell whether it is wooden or genuine, and 
if you can, can whittle out such nutmegs as that, I can't see for my part 
why you can't fight as well as anybody." Poor, non-plussed fellow, he had 
honestly thought, with thousands of others in the south, that the Yankee 
actually whittled out bogus nutmegs with their jack-knives. 

I will summarize our three years' service as a Regiment during the 
above period. The Regiment marched by land and traveled by water 
over seven thousand miles; was engaged in fourteen skirmishes, ten bat- 
tles and two sieges of forty-seven days and thirteen days respectively, 
thus being under constant fire of the enemy eighty-two days and sixty 
nights. The 124th Regini'ent's losses from all causes during its service 
was over four hundred. Ths Regiment was at Montgomery, Alabama, 
when ordered home to be discharged from U. S. service, the war bein.^i 
over. It went Hirect to Vicksburg, where the Regiment was mustered out, 
then sent to Chicago, Illinois, to be discharged and paid off. When exam- 
ining their papers upon arriving at Chicago, it was found that the muster- 
ing-out officer at Vicksburg neglected to sign these papers. There v/as 
nothing to show any one that the Regiment had been mustered out of U. 
S. service. This negligence caused a delay of two weeks before the men 
could be discharged, paid off, and once more be free American citizens to 
go to their homes, their families and friends. 

After th.e expiration of about twenty-five days of my thirty days' fur- 
lough, I received an order from Dr. Horton, of the Vicksburg Hospital, 
from which I was furloughed, to report to the nearest mustering-out offi- 
cer for the purpose of being mustered out of the United States service, 
and to send him the mustering officer's address that he (Dr. Horton) 
might forward the mustering officer my descriptive list. When a soldier 
leaves his command, his descriptive list goes with him, that he can be ac- 
counted for always or at any time. 1 had been away from my command 
several months on detached duty and the hospital together, so it will be 
seen how necessary or how much this descriptive list was worth to mc. I 
complied with the doctor's o der, and reported to Springfield, Illinois, 
learned the mustering officer's address, and sent it to Dr. Horton at 
Vicksburg. I asked the officer where I should stay until the descriptive 
list would arrive from Vicksburg. He mentioned different places I could 
go. I said to him, "I am yet under the physicians charge; why c ui't I .go 
home?" He replied that I could, but that I would have to pay my own 
transportation both ways. "When shall 1 report to you again?" He rek- 
plied, "Give plenty of time for your descriptive list to get here, say two 
or three weeks." I returned home. Was slowly regaining my health at 
this time. No doubt my mother's cooking had much, yea more, to do with 
my convalescing than all else that was brought to bear. 

I remained home this time three weeks, when I again reported to the 
same mustering-out officer at Springfield. I introduced myself to him. 
After looking over his papers he said to me, "V'ou are a free man, how do 
you feel? You have been mustered out of the service about a week." He 
gave me my descriptive list and mustering-out papers, an<l told me where 



38 

T would find a paymaster who would pay me what the Government owed 
me and would give me my discharge papers, which 1 received on June 
25th, 1865. My discharge paper was dated May 25th, 1865, and received 
pay to that date only, that being the day that my mustering-out papers 
were signed. I did not tarry long in that city. 

It was many months before my normal health was regained. My en- 
listment covered a period of thirty-three months. I was dischai.tie(' by 
reason of a telegram from the War Department of May 12th, 1865. The 
service 1 rendered 1 have always been proud of. Although it was for the 
most part very strenuous, I can truthfully say I was never punished for 
disobedience of orders from my superior officers, was never placed under 
arrest for any offense whatever, which onl.v a few can say. In time of 
battle went where and when ordered to go where hundreds of ,^ood mon 
fell yet I received not a wound nor my clothing touched to my knowledge. 

This sketch would be incomplete if I did not allude to th.e soldier 
comrades with whom I joined the military service, who failed to return to 
home and friends as 1 did. Where were they? They were filling a sol- 
diers' grave far away in the southland, having been cut down by the cruel 
ties of war that this free government of the whole United Stato.^ should be 
I>3rpetuated for all time; that its enemies should learn to submit to its 
power, its authority and greatness, forever to be "ONE COTNTRY, ONE 
LANGUAGE, ONE FLAG." Of the squad of thirty-three who went from 
.Jersey county when I went, twelve returned. Of this squad, fifteen en- 
listed from and around Otterville, my home town. Of the Otterville squad, 
there were five who returned at the close of the war. I today know only 
tljree of the entire number who enlisted from Jersey county at the time I 
did, who are still living. 

That so few returned was inexpressable g ief to me. The tics that 
had been formed and so firmly knitted in our lives through the bitter ex- 
perienoes of war and existed between us can not exist between any other 
class of people. 

At the close of the war. when this vast army of soldiers were to be 
disbanded (discharged), a serious question arose amongst the civilian 
class of citizens as to what would become of their property, their homes, 
when all these idle men were turned loose amongst them. It was a query. 
They did not know what the future would reveal to them. This uneasi- 
ness was soon allayed to their surprise and satisfaction. The soldiers, 
when they turned over their arms and got home, took up in most instances 
the same avocations of labor that they had left when they joined the ser- 
vice of the government. I took up my work on the farm, which T had left, 
as soon as my health would admit. Shortly afterwards I overheard some 
of my wealthy neighbor farmers say, how surprised I am ,o see and know 
that the soldier boys were so quiet and peacable, and had gone to work as 
if they had never been away from home." They were afraid we would d)o 
everything that was mean, and that we would not stop short of plunder- 
ing and robbing and making life unsafe. But what a happy contrast to 
their groundless fears. I suppose these groundless fears existed all over 
the entire northern states to a more or less degree. They could not real- 
ize the discipline we were under as soldiers; that the three years of fear- 
ful and terrible experience we had passed through that when the last shot 
was fired, the last picket stood,, the great war was over and the R>ebellion 
was put down, there were no citizens in all the land who welcomed peace 
and happiness over this broad land more than did the ex-soldiet-s of the 
"sixties." These remarks apply to the true soldiers. There wore bums in 
Ibe army just as there are in all walks of life, who are n disgrace to ci- 
vilization wherever they exist. 

In 1902 culminated a long-cherished desire of mine to visit those 
battlefields that I had taken part in making historical. My good wife said 
to me, "Aren't you afraid to go down there?" What is there to be afraid 



;-9 

of, I wanted to know? She answered, "Those men you shot at during the 
war." I answered her with tlvese words, "Do you suppose I would harm a 
Confederate soldier or suffer any one to harm him who came to my home 
to visit me?" "No," she replied, "I know you would not." "Neither will 
they harm me if I act a gentleman with them." 

1 left home in the mouth of January in 1H02, to he gone four months 
if I desired. I traveled over the Burlington Route via St. Louis, Mo., 
^iv'here I visited Ninian C. Beattv, my orderly sergeant. We had been 
throughout the war together. When I told him my purpose, he said, "1 
wish I could go with you." I took supper with him. We had a great re- 
union together. He went to the depot with me to see me off on my 
journey. Poor fellow, this was to be the last time we should meet in this 
world, as he died shortly afterwards. It had been twenty-five years since 
I had seen him previous to this meeting. The wonderful joy that came to 
us at this meeting comes to no other class of mortals but Comrades who 
have passed through perils of every description, escaping o)ily death, to- 
gether touching elbows where it took all the moral courage that mortal 
men could possess to obey orders. 

I left St. Louis, Mo., over the Ohio and Mobile R. R. at eight-thirty 
p. m. My train stopped twenty minutes for breakfast next morning at 
Corinth, Miss. I was shown from the car window where in one of the bat- 
tles fought at this place a Col. Rodgers, Confederate, was killed in leading 
a charge on our men. The result of the battle was the Confederates were 
repulsed and the I'nion army victorious. We soon passed on south, pass- 
ing over where both armies had marched, which yet showed much signs of 
devastation. I arrived at Meridian, Miss., at 2 p. m., where 1 left the train. 
1 was now where we destroyed so lauob railroj 1 piop-vi-vy in Febvi'iry, 
1864, thirty-eight years before, under the command of General Sherman. 
A Mr. Johnson met me at the train, and took me to his home, where I 
t'pent the evening and night and most of the next 'iay, -^njovn.j; tlieir great 
hospitality. 

Meridian, Miss., had, during the thirty-eight years of my absence, 
grown to be the largest cit.v in the state, being the punction of the Ohio 
and Mobile and the Vicksburg and Charleston railroads. They claimed a 
population of twenty-two thousand. It was the most extensive cotton 
market in the state. I visited their l.Lige compress cotton mills, which 
were very extensive. Saw them at work. The cotton was brought from 
the cotton gin in bales after being put through the compress power, where 
its bulk was reduced almost half, then it was ready for the market of the 
wo; Id. While here 1 said to ^Ir. Johnson, "Down that railroad some of 
those trees have iron collars on them." I told him that General Sherman's 
army left them dressed in that kind of trinnrings when here in 1S64. 
He said, "Oh, no; Oh, no." I asked him how they ever got them off Hhe 
trees, and he said they chopped the trees down and shipped the twisted 
rails to rolling mills, where they were straightened and made good. This 
man Johnson was a small child when Sherman's army made that place a 
visit, did not remember seeing the army, so what he said to me was what 
he had been told. 

I took a Vicksburg train for Jackson, the capital of the state. I think 
the second station from .Meridian west is Chunkeyville. When the name 
was called by the conductor I was eager to see how it looked in time of 
peace. * T hastened to a window of the car. This is the place where our 
Brigade destroyed, by burning, an immense lot of cotton and the depot, 
tore up the railroad track, and burned the railroad bridge over the Chun- 
koy river, which was about one hundred and fifty feet wide, and scared the 
Rebel command so they vacated in somewhat of a hurry, leaving three 
loaded wagons in the middle of the river. They cut the teams loose from 
the wagons and made their escape. I do not think our men bothered the 
wagons. I looked out the car window for this wagon ford of ti.e river, it 



40 

looked perfectly natural to me. The ford was yet being used, with thia 
exception: the three wagons were gone. It came to me while here that 
this was the place whereJohn thought he was nearly dead when the Lieu- 
tenant had his sword to his (John's) back, keeping him to his place in the 
ranks. 

1 left the train at Jackson. On.e could see the scars of war hereflln 
every hand. The city is located on the west side of Pearl river. From 
this "place this river is navigable for small boats to its mouth, or the Mls^ 
sissippi river. The population at this time was nine thousand. I visited 
the old state house, where I found the legislature in session/.(i/4What a 
grewsome story it would be if the full history of the happen^' that had 
taken palce since its completion were told. This session of the legis- 
lature was to be the last to convene in the old building, as they were 
at this time erecting a new capitol building. 

One story of the new building was completed at this time. 
Jackson was many times punished. All the Confederate industries 
were destroyed and the railroads badly put out of commission, being the 
junction of the Mississippi Central and the Vicksburg and Charleston rail 
roads. These roads were sadly out of repair during a greater part of the 
war period. 

I left Jackson for Edwards, about twenty-five miles to the west, near 
the Champion Hills battlefield, where I arrived late in the p. m. After pro- 
curing entertainment for the night, I stepped into a business house and 
asked the proprietor if he could direct me to some Confederate soldier who 
would likely go with me over the Champion Hills battle-ground the next 
day. He studied a few moments, then pointing to a man, said he would be 
just the man if I could get him to go. I went out into the street and 
hailed him as captain. "Sah," he said, "you can call me captain, kunn,el 
or general. 1 was captain in a Mississippi regiment in the Civil Wah, 
kunnel in the Spanish-American Wah, and had the honoh to command the 
Brigade that Kunnel Bryan's Regiment was in." I told him what I wanted 
and that 1 was a Union soldier in that battle. He grabbed me by the hand 
and said, "1 am glad to meet a man who will say where he belonged; that 
a great many Yankees did not like to own that they were Yankees." This 
man's name was Captain Montgomery. He said to me, "Nothing would 
give me more pleasure than to go with you, but I cannot, as I am a mem- 
ber of the legislature, and am on a commttee to go to the Gulf tomorrow 
and inspect the harbor there. I would surely be delighted to go with you 
and show you over this battle ground, for there is no one about here who 
knows as much about it as I do." He asked me how I was fixed for the 
night, and 1 told him 1 had made all arrangements for the night. He 
said, "Well, sah, you meet me at the depot in the morning at eight o'clock. 
There will be a freight train along, and we can go on that. I will go on it 
to Jackson, and will find some one to go with you over the battle ground." 
This battlefield was four miles east from Edwards, hence we took the train. 
Captain Montogmery gave me a letter of introduction to a man on the 
Champions plantation. After finding my man, he asked me if I would like 
to go into the house and meet Mrs. Champions. I replied that I would, so 
he took me in and introduced me to her, telling her where I was from and 
my business there. She warmly greeted me by clasping my hand and say- 
ing how delighted she was to do honor to a man who fought for his coun- 
try. Mrs. Champions at this time was seventy-five years of age. Her 
former home had been burned. The present home was some distance from 
where thehome of 1S63 stood. She told me that in the morning of the 
day of the battle, a Confederate officer came to her home and told her that 
General Grant's army was coming within a few miles, and would pass 
along the road that ran close to her front door, and that she had better go 
to some of her neighbors. This she did. going to her father's, a few miles 
away, leaving the place in charge of her colored people just as if she were 



41 

going to visit a neighbor for the day. About ten o'clock that day a por- 
tion of General Grant's army met General Pemberton's forces, and fought 
them about six hours, when Pemberton's army was defeated. Mrs. Cham- 
pion said to me, "I and my father opposed the Rebellion with all our 
power, but my husband was a rabid secessionist." 

My guide to go with me announced his readiness. We were off after 
a cordial and pressing invitation from Mrs. Champion to take dinner with 
her at 2 p. m., whicli I gratefully accepted. Our first stop was at her 
former home, which was used by f^K ^ our surgeons for a hospital, but 
now a school house for colored had been built on the site. I asked my 
guide what made so many holes in the ground. He replied, "There is 
where bodies of Union soldiers had been taken up and taken to Vicksburg 
and burited in the national cemetery at that place." Our next stop was on 
the ground that was fought over many times, beine a forest of black oal. 
trees. To my surprise these trees showed the scar^of battle as plainly a- 
plain could be. I asked my guide what was the cause of those scars. H( 
said, "There is where the bullets struck them. If we had an axe we would 
chop into one and you would find the bullet." I stepped up to a ttret 
where some curious fellow had satisfied himself by chopping into the Irei 
and finding the minnie ball. I noticed a tree about two feet in diameter 
near the ground with a hole through it large enough for a house cat to go 
through. 1 says, "Do you suppose that tree "^j'as struck by a cannon ball?' 
He answered, "Yes, sir, that is the cause of that hole." I could hardly be- 
lieve what I saw with my own eyes after thirty-eight years from the time 
of the battle. 

Our next stop was at a residence which, too, showed yet many marks 
of the battle. I talked with the proprietor. He told me he was a child 
and was living there at the time of the battle. "Did you remain her? 
while the battle was raging?" "Oh, no." "Where did you?" "Over there 
(pointing off to the south) about three miles; that was close enough to be 
safe." This man had, I leckon. a cart load of relics of the battle undei- 
his porch, of all sizes, that he had picked up. He gave me a ten-pound 
solid cannon ball, which I brought home and have it at this time. He 
offered me many others, but I did not accept them. 

We next drove to a Mr. Austin's home. Now I was on the ground 
where General Logan's Division had fought over, where the enemy could 
not stop us. I found this Mr. Austin was an ex-Union soldier. A year or 
two after the close of the war he went south and married his wife in this 
vicinity. Mr. Austin went with me over the ground where my Regiment 
had fought, from the place where we first formed, and where General Lo- 
gan rode along the line of his men and said, "]\(en, the hotter the quicker." 
meaning the harder we fought the sooner it would be over with. This 
proved to be true in this instance. I recognized the lay of the ground 
quite readily. What a contrast in the going over this ground the first and 
the second time — the first time amidst the roar of battle when hundreds 
of men were being killed; the second time no armed enemy in front of us. 
no batteries to charge loaded with cannister to fear. 

Mr. Austin gave me a number of war relics which I brought home 
with me. One was a Barlow pocket knife that he had found when digging 
a post hole in a Confederate soldier's grave, buried for twenty years. In 
digging this post hole he came to a man's thigh bone, and by its side he 
found this and an old pocketbook. I relate this incident to disprove the 
statement that the pockets of the dead were robbed by our men. .Mr. Ausiiu 
took me to his home and introduced me to the ladies of the house. Dinner 
was awaiting him, and they urged me to dine with them. I told them that 
I had promised to take dinner with Mrs. Champion, and they would have- 
to excuse me. Thanking Mr. Austin for his kindness and bidding them 
farewell. 1 went to my guide and then drove to Mrs. Champion's house. 

When I entered Mrs, Champion's home she said^ "You are ten min- 



42 

utes late, and you know a meal is not so good when not eaten as ^oon as 
rtany. My cook had hegun to be uneasy, fearing that the meal would nut 
be cujov'^d." I legged her pardon for causing any misgivings abotit tlip 
meal, and that I esteemed it as a rare opportunity to dine with her. Such 
a m^eal as we sat down to, Mrs. Champion and I alone, she sitting on the 
opposite side of the table from me. This dinner was an extraordinary 
meal, of every kind of vegetable and every kind of meat and sweets of 
^very description. I think we were at the table fully an hour, eating and 
visiting. This dinner will never be forgotten by me during this life. I^ 
seemed almost too good for any mortal being. She was busy telling me 
much of their experiences during the war times. She said that our sur- 
geni'S i!.'--ed ner dining table the day of the battle for an amp'it.'.tion table, 
and that she could never clean the human blood stains from it. 

As my train was soon due, I said to her that I must be going on soon. 
She wanted that T should remain over until the next day. The best excuse 
that I could offer was that I had not heard from home for many days, and 
that I thought there was mail for me at Vicksburg that I was anxious to 
r-ead. Expressing gratitude to her for the kindly hospitality she had 
shown me, I bade the battle-ground farewell at three thirty p. m. for Vicks- 
burg. never to forget the impressions that came to me while visiting this 
historical place. In all Confederate accounts of this battl^ they gave it as 
"Baker's Creek Battle-ground." 

My train soon reached Black river bridge, our old camp of the winter 
of 1863-64. It looked ve;y natural to me. I could see wher-e our tents 
stood, and the old drill grounds where we drilled so many times to earn 
the Excelsior Banner, which we afterwards got. 

I arriv.ed at Vicksburg safely late in the evening. Found a hotel to 
put up at while in the city, being run by an ex-Confederate soldier. I soon 
found myself going to the postofHce for any mail there awaiting me. I 
then went down to where was once the great river front when was here in 
the sixties, and to my wonderful surprise there was no river, but instead 
of the old wharf was built railroad tracks, railroad warehouses, depot, 
cottonseed oil mills, compress cotton mills, door and sash factories and 
lumber yards. I could hardly beleve what my eyes behsld. What Iiad be- 
come of the river? There was some dead water there. Just in front of 
the city, out in the old river bed, was an island grown up to brush of dif- 
ferent kinds, Cottonwood trees thirty feet high.. This water was called 
Lake Centennial. In IS 76 the Mississippi river was very high, overflov'irg 
much river bottom land on the opposite side from tbe city, known as 
Toung's Point. During this great flood of water, it cut a new channel 
across this point of land, commencing six or eight miles above the city, 
and re-entering the old channel about four and a half miles below the city. 
When the great flood of water had subsided, Vicksburg was not on the 
Mississippi river any more. The nearest point to the river was four and a 
half miles, which point was as near as the steamboat could get to the city. 
All river traffic destined for and from Vicksburg had to be hauled by teams 
that distance. What a calamity! F.om a commercial standpoint it kilkd 
this hauty and wicked city. 

The chief point of interest to me was to visit the old battle-ground, 
"Where my Regiment was placed on the line of investment during the lon;r 
siege. I started early in the morning, and found it to be about three miles 
out. I readily recognized the place. The White or Shirley house was stili 
standing. I found the spot of ground I occupied so long during the siege. 
Also found a stone marker that had been placed by my Regimental Assoc- 
iation at some period prior to my visit, marking the spot where the Regi- 
ment had spent so many days and nights of strenuous and intense hard 
labor with both shovel and musket. 

The sad memories of many thrilling incidents cam-e to me while view- 
ing this old camping-ground after thirty-nine years. I went out and found 



r.) 

the dear old spring of water that supplied us with life-sustaining fluid for 
nearly eight weeks. It was furnishing about the same amount of wat/er, 
1 judged, as in 18 63. 

Having been given a letter of introduction by my Comrade and good 
friend James Phelps before leaving home, to a Mr. William Blything of 
Vieksburg, who was a member of his Company of an Iowa Regiment for 
three years, I inquired after him, and learned that Mr. Blything had 
■eharg-e of a working party in the military park. This park consisted of 
the' Vieksburg battle-ground. The U. S. Government had purchased a strip 
of land covering the entire length of the battlefield, which was eight miles 
in length. 

The working party was clearing out the undergrowth, such as cane 
thickets, briar patches and small bushes, and burning it, leaving only the 
large trees standing. After some searching and inquiring, I found 
Mr. Blything. I handed him Mr. Phelps' letter, and when he had finished 
reading it he clasped me by the hand and said, "You are'a neighbor to 
James Phelps, are you? How 1 would love to see Jim." We had a friend- 
ly visit, and he kindly invited me to his home w^hile in the city. 1 then 
took a street car, which runs from the city every thirty minutes, out al- 
most to the parJEi for my hotel. 

I looked over the city and noted many changes have taken place. 
There are many scars visible showing the punishment the city received 
from Admiral Porters fleet which lay in the river near by. There is now 
an electric car line throughout the city. They claim a population of ten 
thousand. ■«' 

r went out to the National Cemetery which is located two miU'S 
uo'th of the city — outside of the line of Confederate works, near the 
bend of this great river, on the western slope of one of the great hills 
overlooking what is now known as Lake Centennial (formerly the Miss- 
isssippi river.) This cemetery consists of forty acres of land and is in- 
closed by a brick wall three and a half feet high. This cemetery when 
ready to receive the soldier dead was a succession of terraces. All kinds 
of shade trees are planted in artistic style with the beautiful Magnolia 
and other everg-. een trees interspersed. One would suppose at a short 
distance it was a forest. On the tops of these several terraces is where 
the dead were placed. I learned from the superintendent that he em- 
ploys twelve men eight months of the year doing nothing elese but using 
the lawn mowers keeping the grass as smooth as the mowers will make 
it. The surface of the cemetery has a perfect coat of Bermuda grass 
which requires clipping every few days as it grows very fast during the 
growing season. The government furnisbed two stones for each soldier's 
grave hurried here, one at the head and one at the foot. Where the 
soldiers were known their names are cut in these granite markers, where 
they are unkno\\n the marker is numbered. 

There are buried in this cemetery sixteen thousand seven hundred 
and eighty-four soldiers, four thousand twenty-two of whom are known 
and twelve thousand seven hundred and sixty-two unknown. These 
bodies were collected from a large territory adjacent to Vieksburg up 
and down the river and on the battlefields where they had fallen. Truly 
an army of heroes who gave their all that this government should not 
be destroyed. A great many of the dead soldiers were taken by their 
relatives north and hurried at home in the family hurrying grounds. I 
visited the graves of three of my Company. I supposed there are more 
buried there of my Company if; so they are among the unknown. 

It appeared to me that this cemetery is the most beautiful place tha' 
I had ever seen. The Government maintains a very large green housf 
where it grows the almost numberless variety of flowers which are dis- 
tributed on the graves throughout the cemetery during the warm months 
of the year. Then stored away in the green house for the winter. One 



4 + 

of the three of my Company who lie in this cemetery was my bunk-mate 
from the time of our entering the service until he fell at Vicksburg. All 
three of them left families at home. Several others of the Company 
who were killed I know their relatives came and took them to their 
northern homes. 

The marbel shaft that was plac-ed on the spot where Gen. Pem- 
berton capitulated with Gen. Grant on July 3, 1863 is now in this ceme- 
tery to keep relic hunters from chipping it all away as souvenirs to carry 
home. A heavy piece of Ordinance, a cannon was placed on that historic 
spot and hears the same inscription as the marbel shaft. That monument 
will mark the spot for all time. The following is the inscription on it. 
"Site of interview between Major General Grant U. S. A. and Lieuten- 
ant General Pemberton July 3, 1863." These words are cut into iron 
about a sixteenth of an inch deep so they cannot possibly be erased. 
This monument is about twenty inches in diameter at the br-eech and is 
nine feet high" located about one hundred paces south of what is known 
as Fort Hill by the Federal troops and the Third Louisiana Redan by 
the Confederate troops. 

Mr. Blything took me to the Park Commissioners office, was intro- 
duced to Capt. W. T. Rigby who is chairman of the Commission. Had a 
pleasant talk with him. The Captain gave me an outline of what they 
had done and what they expected to do in the Park. 

This Military Park at Vicksburg, Miss., contains twelve hundred 
and thirty-two acres of land for which the Government paid on an 
average of forty dollars and seventy cents per ac e. Only the land that 
could be called fighting ground was purchased for this park. 

The Commissioners plan was to build two roads or avenues, one 
just in the rear of Confederate wo ks t6 be known as Confederate Ave., 
the other one to be known as Federal Ave. and built just in the rear 
of the first parallel line, or trench, of the Federal forces. The most of 
the camps of the Federal Regiments are not in this park land. But they 
propose that markers or tablets will be placed on these avenues stating 
the exact location of each separate organization or command of both 
armies. 

This commission is appointed by the Secretary of War, and consists 

fthree ex-soliders — two of the Union army and one of the Confederate 
army. At this time the members were Captan W. T. Rigby, Captain 
James G. Everet and Lieut. Gen. Stephen D. Lee, all of whom were parti- 
cipants in this battle. 

While talking to Captain Rigby I told him where I served du ing 
the siege of Vicksburg. He said to me, "I want you to go with me 
out on the line where you was during the siege and show me some points 
that we may erect suitable monuments." I told him 1 would go and if 

1 could give him any information I would gladly do so. We went out as 
pre-arranged. The first place we went to was the Crater, or "Slaughte- 
Pen," the boys called it. This Rebel fort had been leveled down. He said 
to me, "Show me where you think that fort was." I stepped to where I 
thought it was. He remarked, "Don't you think it may have been here?" 
he was standing ten feet east of where I stood. T told him that it might 
possibly have been. I think he was pleased that I could so nearly locate 
the exact spot. No doubt in my mind I was as nearly correct as he was 
as this fort was sixty feet in diameter. 

We next went to the place where my Regiment was located during 
the siege. I pointed, it out to him. He then asked me to show him 
where Captain Rogers' Battery stood during the siege and where Captain 
Rogers was killed. I soon showed him where the guns stood for the 
parapet was plain to be seen, they stood behind a bank. Hp said to me. 
"You must be correct." Then he asked me to locate the spot where 
Rogers was killed. The exact spot I did not know. I related to him the 
circumstances under which Rogers was placed and led to his death. 



"Well you take this hatchet and drop it where you may think that Rogers 
was killed and down goes the stake." I dropped the hatchet and saw him 
drive the stake and make a note of it in his note book. A suitable 
granite stone has been erected to th-e memory of this gallant man on this 
spot. 

On our wa.v back to the city Rigby took me to a 'well preserved 
cave that was used by the people to live in during th« siege thirty nine 
years ago as most all of the citizens of the city lived in caves in those 
hills at that time for safety. 

The next tour 1 made I went out with Mr. Blything on to the battle 
line where his Regiment was located during the battle. They were 
more north of the city and under Gen. Sherman. I picked up some 
grape shot near an old fort in front of this Iowa Regiment's position. 
The hill they charged up in front of the Rebel works was very steep. 
Blything pointed out to me th-e advance point that any of his Regiment 
obtained and where some of his field officers were killed. We then went 
on through their camp to the spring of water that supplied thousands 
of soldiers and horses during the battle. A large volume of water 
flowed this spring.. We went on to the east until we came to Gen. 
Grant's headquarters. Gen. Sherman's headquarters was forty or fifty 
rods west of that of Gen. Grant. 

The Confederate line started from the Mississippi river north of 
city ran a nearly easterly course for two and a half miles thence south- 
west for six miles to the river below the city. 

We started back to city and crossed the Confederate line at what is 
called Stockade Fort, where much furious fighting was done. We passed 
over the ground where 1 laid very sick in an Arbor Hospital, when I 
regained consciousness was in a tent and from this was sent to a boat to 
be sent north and was unloaded at Memphis, Tenn. 

We passed much ground that had been at one time very familiar 
to me. We soon reached Mr. Blythng's home where supper was wait- 
ing for us, having tramped probably fifteen miles. Mrs. Blything was 
a young lady of Vicksburg at the time of the battle there. She with 
her mother lived in a cave for safety until the siege was over. She 
pointed to her piano and said, "We had that in the cave with us." 

The next day I put in visiting in the city. Went to the court house 
wiiose cupola contains the city clock. We could often hear it striking 
the hour during the siege three miles away. It was still doing its 
faithful dut.v and how readily 1 recognized its familiar sound. 

I went to the Park Commissioners' office to see Captain Rigby, but 
he was out. A gray haired gentleman inquired if he could wait uupn 
me, and told me that he was one of the commissioners — Lieut^'^teu^Ben 
D. Lee. 1 spent a very pleasant hour with him. He told vw^-llurt he 
was from another family of Lee's than that of Gen. Robert Lee. Said 
his family was of South Carolina while Robert Lee's family were Vir- 
ginians. He said to me "When Vicksburg fell the war should have 
closed that they were whipped then and it was useless to prolong the 
struggle." "Yes," 1 said, "I thought that was true but a large per cent 
of the Southern people did not have enough of war. they could not 
realize that they must lose out in the struggle at last." 

i note that the ground where we earned the Excelsior Banner in 
a drill contest w'as covered with buildings of different industries. I 
also visited the present boat landing which is four miles below the city. 

Word came to me that a Confederate soldier whose home was near 
Port Gibson was in the city and wished to see me, having learned of my 
presence there, and the number of my Regiment. Mr. Blything and I 
went to see him. When we found him he asked me if I knew a man b.\ 
name of George W. .Jackson of Co. G. 124th Regiment. I told him that 
1 did. He then said, "I want to send him word that his name that he 



4(i 

' ;it on a beech tree near Port Gibson is as plain to be seen as it was the 
day he cut it, in May, 1863. Thirty-nine yea.s afterward when this man 
told me this. I had visited Mr. Jackson a few years prior to this, spent 
a night at his home, but he had died before this message reached him. 

I must relate a conversation 1 had with a man whose small shack 
stood near the park limits, in fact his possessions embraced some of 
the park lands, which the Government had bought. This fellow was ten 
or twelve years old at the close of the Civil War. Of course he was a 
bitter, but a smart aleck. He said "The northern soldier was paid to 
fight, got all the Government had promised them, when they hired out 
to the Government and that they ought to be satisfied. That he and all 
the Southern people were taxed to death to pay them the pensions they 
were getting." "Yes pay, my friend how would you feel do you think 
ro stand up and let me shoot at you for thirteen dollars a month?" 
Talk about pay! As to you being taxed to help pay our pensions, how 
much do you suppose it costs you? He admitted that he did not know. 
'Well sir, it does not cost you a farthing unless you buy whiskey or 
tobacco. These pensions are paid from the int'ernal revenues of the whole 
country." He admitted that he did not know that before. Then he 
asked "What is that German officer visiting the United States for, spy- 
ing our coast defences? What is the strength of their armi-es? I said 
"I do not know, and I do not care. I am sure we are not afraid of any 
foreign nation on the globe." He then said, "I hope to God that some 
foreign nation would .iump on to the Unit-ed States and whip her to a 
finish." I said, "You don't have to stay in this country if you choose to 
leave it. Suppose there was a foreign army landed at the mouth of the 
Mississippi river. How far do you think they would advance into the in- 
terior of this country?" He d:d not know. 1 told him "that he would 
shoulder his gun quick enough to help drive the invader out of the 
country, if you wouldn't your wife would." 1 left him as there was no 
atisfaction in listening to his useless remarks. Mr. Blything said, 
"lou hit him hard when you spoke of whisk-ey and tobacco as he uses 
both. He has one or two drams on now more than common." Men of 
his age I observed are the fellows who harbor bitter enmity towards the 
Xorthern people. Tbe soldiers of the Rebel army can and are willing to 
fraternize with TifKbi|prthern*^ld-ier at all times. 1 received from them 
in every instance th^very best of kindly greetings from each and every 
one I met. 

Having spent one week viewing the many points of much interest 
to me in this vicinity, connected with my army life I prepared to go to 
my home to return at some future date if possible, when the park is more 
in a finished state. 

In the month of .January, 19 08, I and my wife and daughter Anna 
went South with a double pu pose, to spend the winter amongst rela- 
tives and to visit the National Park at Vicksburg, Mississippi, which place 
we reached some time the second weak in March. After getting located, I 
first called at the Park Commissioners' office where I met again Captain 
Rigby who seemed highly pleased to see me. I told him of my purpose 
and of the party that was with me. He said, "You go to a certain barn 
and tell them to let you have the team I drive. I will let my Adjutant, 
Mr. Longly go with you. Take your dinners along and put in the day. 
Go up the Lake Centennial road through the National Cemetery, and 
go the entire lengtb of^he battlefield for the first day. Mr. Longly 
has been my clerk /fbir^Tlie first and he can show and tell you all the 
points of interest."/ His kindness we greatly appreciated. 

As previously arranged we were off at an early hour for the day 
behind a spirited team of horses \i^a two seated carriage. We entered 
the National Cemetery near the southwest corner. Th driveways are 
very crooked to make the ascf-iir easv. Our first stop was to see the 



47 

niarUel shaft, the Grant and Peniberton monument which had been moved 
from the battlefield to its present location for safety. Anna being equip- 
ped with a camera took some pretty views from this place. We drive 
on and up until we reach the northeast corner of the cemetery. The 
Superintendent's office was near by. After refreshing ourselves with a 
drink from a cistern we pass on through the enclosure of the cemetery, in- 
to Federal Ave. Soon we come to Regimental monuments telling us what 
command had been stationed at each of these monuments. Some were 
Brigade monuments, and also iron tablets showing the advanced position 
gained by, or taken by the different commands during the battle includ- 
ing the different batteries. We pass on to the "Tunnel" that was made 
in front of Gen. Thayer's command. (This Gen. Thayer was once G0V7 
ernor of Nebraska.) At this place was where the Regiment of Mr. James 
Phelps of Edgar, Nebraska, operated during the battle. We went over 
the ground that these comrades fought over and made an assault up the 
hill on the Rebel line and got almost to the Rebel works when were re- 
pulsed. Here Anna took several snapshots with Kodak. At very close 
intervals we find these monuments along side of the Avenue and on the 
front side or side next to the Rebel works. We pass near Gen. Sher- 
man's headquraters and on to Gen. Grant's headquarters which was in a 
tent all the while of the battle. It is marked by a monument. Near this 
place are several State Memorial Monuments, Pennsylvania, Massachu- 
setts, New York and Michigan. These are beautiful and costly monu- 
ments. From here we go in a soutliernly direction about a mile and 
come to the "Shirley House" and the Illinois State Memorial Monument 
which stands wthin a few feet of where the 124th Ills. Regiment was 
located during the battle. We ate our lunch here near the Shirley House 
and near to our old camp. 

The Shirley House has been restored to its former beauty and use- 
fulness by the Government. 

The Illinois Memorfal Monument can be seen from nearly any part 
of the Park. It is over sixty feet high, circular in form and fifty-eight 
feet in diameter. It is lighted from its dome of which about one-third 
of the diameter of the entire structure is left open and uncovered. On 
the interior wall of this monument was placed the name of every Illi- 
nois soldier who was on the Vicksburg yujunaiffn or \i\ the^ege of Vicks- 
burg. His name is placed ^g/^ bronze JCtfww wliidi xii*lff*Tc;ouiplete belt 
of bronze a'ound the entire interior of tlie Monun%nt. The names are 
placed by Regiments of Infantry, Regiments of Cavalry, batteries of 
Artillery, also by Companies so that the visitor can find readily the name 
of any of the soldiers in a very short time. This structure cost the State 
of Illinois two hundred thousand dollas. I was so overcome with its 
niaj^nitude and grandeur when I saw and realized what my native state 
'•lad clone in honor of her soMivirs, I could not but weep. 

We leave here to go south. We first come to an observation tower 
which is over a hundred feet high. It stands near Gen. John A. Logans 
Iieadqua! ters. The general Government had this tower built or appro- 
priated money for its being placed there. The sights which can be seen 
from the top of this tower can not be described. One can look right 
into the city near three miles away, and can see nearly the whole length 
of the park wMth its costly monuments and towering granite shafts. It 
is located near the center lengthwise, of the Park of nine miles in length 
We go on south and soon pass a shaft of granite which is ninety feet 
high, nine feet square at the base and six feet square at the top erected 
by the State of Minnesota. Farther on and across the railroad we come 
to the Iowa State .Memorial Monument erected at a cost of one hund- 
red and fifty thousand dollars. We diMve on to near the end of Federal 
Avenue where we cross to the west "W Confederate Avenue. This is just 
to the rear of the Rebel line of earthworks. We stop to let the ladies 



48 

see a Rebel fort, which is yet quite well preserved. It was known as the 
Square Fort. Very much of sanguinary fighting was done in about' this 
Fort. 

The day being far spent we push on over Confederate Avenue, back 
to the old river bed of the Mississippi. Just on the bluff is a fort the Con- 
federates called Fort Hill. We went into this Fo.t and inspected it. It 
was from this fort that some of the Rebel guns sank some ships of 
Admiral Porter's fleet during the battle. Here the Avenue turns north 
and intersects Federal Avenue at the northeast co.ner of the National 
Cemetery, which we drive through again and on to the city having driven 
about twenty-five miles. 

These Avenues are each two rods wide with a crown in concrete and 
cement sewerage on either side so they are practically dry all the 
time, and just as smooth as they could be made. Where the Avenues 
cross bayous there are artistic bridges built of galvanized iron. There 
are several of these in the Park. 

In size the Regimental and Battery monuments are three by five 
feet with the proper" inscription thereon — the name of the command they 
represent, etc. Wherever a piece of Artillery stood during the siege 
of both armies, there are mounted guns representing said gun or guns 
and proper marker or tablet with name and history of each battery or 
gun. The same can be said of the Infantry, suitable markers are placed 
showing the advanced position of each command and with a history of the 
(iesparate fighting done by each command throughout the length of the 
l)attle ground. 

The purpose of the Government is to make this battle-ground as 
realistic as possible to all visitors for the coming generations — a per- 
manent battlefield. 

Our next visit to the battle-ground, we went out on a street car that 
took us w ithin a short distance of the the Park. W^e took our lunch so 
as to put in the entre day sightseeing. We come to the spot where our 
forces blew up Fort Hill. I am so glad that I am premitted to view this 
place agT,in having my wife and daughter with me. There was so 
much to tell them and to e.xplain to them and to show them of what took 
place here forty-five years before when day and night the battle was on 
and men were being blown into eternity, mangled by the terrible shells 
and slain by the deadly niinnie ball. The constant roar of the battle was 
terrific. Now we a:e here to note what our great Government is caus- 
ing to be done to perpetuate the heroism of its defenders in its chosen 
way. This Park when all completed will be a wonderful sight to behold. 
The Southern or Rebellious States expect to do a large work in placing 
suitable monuments in me;nory of their soldiers. Some have al.eady done 
this. 

We move on to the Illinois Memorial Monument. Our hearts swell 
with pride as we comprehend to a degree what this great and magnificent 
structiire stands for. During the eleven days we visited this part of the 
Park altogether, this being my home district during the battle. My 
daughter took scenes of important places to me with her kodak which 
will keep to the end of the race. 

The "Shirley House" that stood so near to our camp is the only 
house within the Park limits. Mrs. Shirley was living in the house and 
lying sick when the battle commenced. By an order from Gen. Mc- 
Pherson, our Corps Commander, this lady was taken to the rear to a 
place of safety where she was properly taken care of during the battle, 
which lasted forty-seven days and nights. While on our visit at this 
time, we noticed that Mr. and Mrs. Shirleys' graves are nearby in the 
rear yard of this home. A family lives in this house to care for it. I 
was told that a portion of this house was to be used as a war museum. 

I take wife and daughter to the spring of water that supplied us 



49 

during the time the battle was on. We all had a drink of it and Anna 
took a picture of it. I told them of how difficult it was for us to get 
to this spring in daylight as a part of the distance was in point blank 
range of the enemy's muskets. We soon learned that when we came to 
this exposed place we would run for our lives in its truest sense. "Get 
there Eli or get hit" was our slogan and our business. Some of the 
boys were killed at the best. I presume the Confederate soldiers re- 
ceived much sport in seeing the Yankees run for their lives. It created 
some unpleasantness on our side, but no extra amount of hatred for 
our neighbors for we knew full well that we were guilty of doing the 
same by them every opportunity we had. The distance at this place from 
them to us was about forty rods. The wonder is that they did not hit 
oftener than they did. 

I notice that the points of interest I showed Captain Rigby when on 
my visit to this battlefield in 1902 had suitable monuments placed, these 
monuments being of granite. 

One day while we were near the Illinois State Memorial Monument 
there were three men came near me and were reading the inscription on 
a monument. I said to them, "Is there any prticular place that you are 
looking for?" They said "No, we are from the north and just came out 
from the city to see the battle-ground." They were I judge born since the 
war. One of them said to me, "I supose that house (pointing to the 
Shirley House) was Gen. Grant's headquraters?" "No indeed it was 
not I replied." "Come with me a few paces, I will show you where Gen. 
Grant's headquarters were." They went with me and I pointed it out to 
them, it being about a mile to the north from where we were standing. 
One man said, "We were told that this white house was the place." "Well 
your informant did not know," I replied, "I do know for I was here from 
start to finish of the siege. I know what I am talking about." "What 
you here then? Yes sir, I will show you where my Regiment lay during 
that battle." I pointed out a stone marker to them and told them that 
my Regimental Association placed it there years before the Park was 
thought of. They were very much surprised at the general information I 
was able to give them, and remained with me the rest of that day as 
long as they remained in the Park. We went to Fort Hill that was blown 
up on June 25, 1863. I gave them as well as I could a description of the 
heroic fighting done that day and cited them to many tablets Inat they 
could read for further proof of that which I had told them. They 
asked where it was that Grant and Pemberton met to arrange the terms 
of capitulation. I took them to the place and told them to "read the 
inscription to be satisfied that it is the spot and so long as you live yolu 
can say that you have seen the present monument marking the place 
where the two Generals met to arrange terms of peace." I told them 
that that was the third monument that has marked that spot. Those 
Generals stood beneath an oak tree to hold their council but within a few 
months the Union soldiers had made souvenirs out of it even digging 
up its roots until there was not a vestage of it left. The second was a 
marbel shaft. This stood for a time then the relic hunters began chip- 
ping it off and carryng it away as souvenirs. The Government moved 
this monument to the National Cemetery where it now stands. The one 
.vou now see is the third monument." These men allowed that they will 
not be chipping that one, it being a large cannon standing on its breech, 
twenty inches in diameter and nine feet high. These men grasped me 
by the hand and tried to tell me how glad they were in meeting me 
and for what I had told them. While near the Illinois State. Memorial 
Monument one of them said, "I wonder if anyone is allowed to go inside 
to look at it." I said to them "Certainly, that is what it is for." It was 
a great sight to them, one they will never foget, to know what that state 
had done to honor her soldiers. Their homes were in three separate 



50 

states: Oklahoma. Wisconsin and Indiana. They had fallen in together 
on their trip and were traveling together. I never heard from them 
after our meeting that day. 

While visiting with these gentlemen, wife and daughter sght-seeing 
looking up many points of interest nearhy. They each picked up a min- 
nie ball one of which was flattened on one end. It had done its mission 
work no doubt during the time of battle. Just after a heavy rain the 
little negro children who live in the vicinity of the old battle-field search 
for these relics, as the rain uncovers their long secret biding place, to sell 
them to the Northern visitors to carry home as souvenirs of the old bat- 
tle ground. It was surprising to us to know how successful these little 
fellows are in this traffic. 

It is astonishing to anyone to know of the great number of visitors 
from the northern states who come here to view this historic place. I 
have no doubt but that the number runs way into the thousands each 
year. 

After a two weeks stay here at Vicksburg and nearly three months 
visiting in the South we leave Vicksburg for our home in Nebraska, to 
carry with us always the memory of what we saw on the old Vicksburg 
Rattlefield. 

It may be a wonder to you what we did with the dead soldiers. I 
did not think to tell you before in this sketch. When on a campaign 
when a soldier was killed or died from any cause, he was rolled up in 
his woolen blanket, and a shallow grave vas mgde, in which he was bu:- 
led. Where there were many klled, as in a battle, a trench was dug, two 
feet deep, eght, feet wde, and as long as was necessary to contain the dead, 
who were collected at a given point. The boys were laid side by side, 
as close as they could be laid in the trench. Their woolen blankets were 
spread over them, and the trench was filled up and properly marked 
with head boards, on which was written the soldier's name and the com- 
mand in which he served. After same battles, there had to be made many 
of these trenches for the dead. When in camp, when a soldier died, a 
detail usually from his Company, esco ted the body to the burial place. 
They carried their guns, and were headed by the Regimental band or 
drum corps, which played a funeral dirge with muffl'Sd drums. When 
the burial ceremony was over, the a med escort would fire three volleys 
over the body of the dead soldier. This was "being buried with the hon- 
ors of war." At the general hospitals where I was, where so many died, 
the Government furnished rough pine box to each dead soldier to be 
buried in. They were buried without military escort or any other cere- 
mony, only that his friends or relatives in the north v.ere notified of his 
death. 

The duties of a Chaplain of a Regiment of soldiers was to look after 
the spiritual interests of the Regiment, visit the sick, give comfort in all 
case of affliction and distress, perform religious ceremonies at the graves 
of the dead, as well as to pi each and council with the living. These 
Chaplain were supposed to be licensed ministers before entering the ser- 
vice, with a good moral charcter. Their salary was about the same as 
the First Lieut-enant — one hundred twenty dollars per month. He was 
expected to board himself, the same as all commissioned officers. A good 
and faithful Chaplain earned his salary. He was not supposed to expose 
his body in time of battle, but if he was a faithful Chaplain, he got to 
the wounded men as soon as possible, to administer to his necessities and 
seek after his comfort, giving words of cheer to the despondent one, both 
spiritual and temporal, often taking the last message in writing to loved 
ones at home. When in camp, at all times the Chaplain was expected, if 
able, to hold some kind of religious service each week, preaching or prayer 
service. The religious element in the 124th Illinois Regiment was quite 
strong, as there were many who were preachers before their enlistment 



51 

into the army. There was an organized band, made up of the several 
Companies, for a centralization of religious workers to combine all relig- 
ious efforts or work in the Regiment. All who wished were privileged to 
unite with it. Just before the day of mustering out came, each member 
was given a letter of recommendation to any evangelical church that their 
lot might be cast after they were discharged from the military service. I 
have only been speaking here of what took place in my own Regiment. 
Other Regiments, no doubt, had their own plans for looking after the 
morals of the many Comrades. 

This sketch would be incomplete if I did not tell something about 
our Medical Staff Of the Regiment. The 12 4th Illinois Volunteer Regi- 
ment had a surgeon and two assistant surgons, first and second. There 
duties were to give medical treatment whenever called upon to do so, and 
to alleviate the suffering of the soldier, whatever the circumstances might 
be. These three surgeons were well read men in their profession. After 
a time, the surgeon was promoted to Division surgeon, which took him 
away from our Regiment. The assistants were promoted, first assistant 
as surgeon and second assistant as first assistant surgeon. When on 
campaign duty, one surgeon stayed in camp to look after the sick who 
could not go with us, the other to go with the command to look after any 
who became sick and the woun'ded men. This assistant surgeon was a 
German, not in full sympathy with the prosecution of the war in the way 
it was being done. Of a morning, at the sick call, he would get busy 
discussing the war policies with the sick men, and would keep them wait- 
ing an unusual length of time to be prescribed for. He finally became 
unbearable, and was asked to resign, which he did, or he would soon have 
faced some charges which would likely brought about his dismissal from 
the service b ya court-martial. The men deserved better treatment than 
they got from him, and would not put up with it any longer. Some of 
the sick men nicknamed him "Bills." When a sick man went to him for 
medicine, invariably he would say, "L^, me see your tongue." Then he 
would say, "I give you dree cadardic^lls. You take one dis morning, 
one dis noon, one dis night. If dat don't fix you, come back; I fix you 
myself." No matter what the complaint might be, it was always, "Let 
me see your tongue," and was followed up with the "cadardic bills," hence 
his nickname. Being German, the word tongue was not given the English 
pronunciation. I relate this to show you that even though a man is an 
officer, he must respect the rights that belong to the private soldier. This 
man was with us nearly or quite two years. He went home, where he 
could talk politics to his heart's content among well men. 

The men who were allowed to ride in campaign or on the march in 
the Infantry branch of the service, they furnishing their own horses, were 
as follows: Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Adjutant, Quartermaster, 
Wagon Master, Surgeons'and Chaplain. All others were supposed to walk 
or march. Each man carried his gun and accoutrements, haversack of ra- 
tions and canteen of water, excepting the commissioned officers of the 
several Companies, namely. Captains and Lieutenants. 

In writing this brief sketch of my army life from 1862 to 1865, my 
sole purpose has been to make what I have touched upon plain, that the 
future generations of my posterity may have a souvenir of the Great Civil 
War in America. Most of the different phases could have elaborated on, 
and possibly should have been, but I adopted the plan of being as con- 
cise as possible and to be readable, and if this sketch will fill a place in 
the distant future, then 1 have not labored in vain. 

May we forever adhere to the proposition, "ONE COUNTRY, ONE 
LANGUAGE, ONE FLAG." 

(The end.) 



